The village never forgot the week when the young Squire came of age.
During that week many important things happened. The usual festivities
were arranged to take place on Monday, for on that day the Squire
completed his twenty-first year. On the following Thursday Robert Awdrey
was to marry Margaret Douglas, and between these two days, namely, on
Tuesday and Wednesday, Frank Everett was to be tried for the murder of
Horace Frere at Salisbury. It will be easily believed, therefore, that
the excitement of the good folks all over the country reached high-water
mark. Quite apart from his position, the young Squire was much loved for
himself. His was an interesting personality. Even if this had not been
so, the fact of his coming of age, and the almost more interesting fact
of his marriage, would fill all who knew him with a lively sense of
pleasure. The public gaze would be naturally turned full upon this young
man. But great as was the interest which all who knew him took in
Awdrey, it was nothing to that which was felt with regard to a man who
was a stranger in the county, but whose awful fate now filled all hearts
and minds. The strongest circumstantial evidence was against Frank
Everett, but beyond circumstantial evidence there was nothing but good
to be known of this young man. He had lived in the past, as far as all
could tell, an immaculate life. He was the only son of a widowed mother.
Mrs. Everett had taken lodgings in Salisbury, and was awaiting the issue
of the trial with feelings which none could fathom.
As the week of her wedding approached, Margaret Douglas showed none of
the happy expectancy of a bride. Her face began to assume a worn and
anxious expression. She could hardly think of anything except the coming
trial. A few days before the wedding she earnestly begged her lover to
postpone the ceremony for a short time.
"I cannot account for my sensations, Robert," she said. "The shadow of
this awful tragedy seems to shut away the sunshine from me. You cannot,
of course, help coming of age on Monday, but surely there is nothing
unreasonable in my asking to have the wedding postponed for a week. I
will own that I am superstitious--I come of a superstitious race--my
grandmother had the gift of second sight--perhaps I inherit it also, I
cannot say. Do yield to me in the matter, Robert. Do postpone the
wedding."
Awdrey stood close to Margaret. She looked anxiously into his eyes; they
met hers with a curious expression of irritation in them. The young
squire was pale; there were fretful lines round his mouth.
"I told you before," he said, "that I am affected with a strange and
unaccountable apathy with regard to this terrible murder. I try with all
my might to get up sympathy for that poor unfortunate Everett. Try as I
may, however, I utterly fail to feel even pity for him. Margaret, I
would confess this to no one in the world but yourself. Everett is
nothing to me--you are everything. Why should I postpone my happiness on
Everett's account?"
"You are not well, dearest," said Margaret, looking at him anxiously.
"Yes, I am, Maggie," he replied. "You must not make me fanciful. I never
felt better in my life, except----" Here he pressed his hand to his
brow.
"Except?" she repeated.
"Nothing really--I have a curious sensation of numbness in the back of
my head. I should think nothing at all about it but for the fact----"
Here he paused, and looked ahead of him steadily.
"But for what fact, Robert?"
"You must have heard--it must have been whispered to you--every one all
over the county knows that sometimes--sometimes, Maggie, queer things
happen to men of our house."
"Of course, I have heard of what you allude to," she answered brightly.
"Do you think I mind? Do you think I believe in the thing? Not I. I am
not superstitious in that way. So you, dear old fellow, are imagining
that you are to be one of the victims of that dreadful old curse. Rest
assured that you will be nothing of the kind. I have a cousin--he is in
the medical profession--you shall know him when we go to London. I spoke
to Dr. Rumsey once about this curious phase in your family history. He
said it was caused by an extraordinary state of nerves, and that the
resolute power of will was needed to overcome it. Dr. Rumsey is a very
interesting man, Robert. He believed in heredity; who does not? but he
also firmly believes that the power of will, rightly exercised, can be
more powerful than heredity. Now, I don't mean you to be a victim to
that old family failing, so please banish the thought from your mind
once and for ever."
Awdrey smiled at her.
"You cheer me," he said. "I am a lucky man to have found such a woman as
you to be my wife. You will help to bring forward all that is best in
me. Margaret, I feel that through you I shall conquer the curse which
lies in my blood."
"There is no curse, Robert. When your grandfather married a
strong-minded Scotch wife the curse was completely arrested--the spell
removed."
"Yes," said Awdrey, "of course you are perfectly right. My father has
never suffered from a trace of the family malady, and as for me, I
didn't know what nervousness meant until within the last month. I
certainly have suffered from a stupid lapse of memory during the last
month."
"We all forget things at times," said Margaret. "What is it that worries
you?"
"Something so trifling that you will laugh when I tell you. You know my
favorite stick?"
"Of course. By the way, you have not used it lately."
"I have not. It is lost. I have looked for it high and low, and racked
my memory in vain to know where I could have put it. When last I
remember using it, I was talking to that unfortunate young Frere in the
underwood. I wish I could find it--not for the sake of the stick, but
because, under my circumstances, I don't want to forget things."
"Well, every one forgets things at times--you will remember where you
have put the stick when you are not thinking of it."
"Quite true; I wish it didn't worry me, however. You know that poor
Frere met his death in the most extraordinary manner. The man who killed
him ran his walking-stick into his eye. The doctors say that the ferrule
of the stick entered the brain, causing instantaneous death. Everett
carried a stick, but the ferrule was a little large for the size of the
wound made. Now my stick----"
"Really, Robert, I won't listen to you for another moment," exclaimed
Margaret. "The next thing you will do is to assure me that your stick
was the weapon which caused the murder."
"No," he replied, with a spasm of queer pain. "Of course, Maggie, there
is nothing wrong, only with our peculiar idiosyncrasies, small lapses of
memory make one anxious. I should be happy if I could find the stick,
and happier still if this numbness would leave the back of my head. But
your sweet society will soon put me right."
"I mean it to," she replied, in her firm way.
"You will marry me, dearest, on the twenty-fourth?"
"Yes," she answered, "you are first, first of all. I will put aside my
superstition--the wedding shall not be postponed."
"Thank you a thousand times--how happy you make me!"
Awdrey went home in the highest spirits.
The auspicious week dawned. The young Squire's coming of age went off
without a flaw. The day was a perfect one in August. All the tenants
assembled at the Court to welcome Awdrey to his majority. His modest and
graceful speech was applauded on all sides. He never looked better than
when he stood on a raised platform and addressed the tenants who had
known him from his babyhood. Some day he was to be their landlord. In
Wiltshire the tie between landlord and tenant is very strong. The spirit
of the feudal times still in a measure pervades this part of the
country. The cheers which followed Awdrey's speech rose high on the
evening air. Immediately afterward there was supper on the lawn,
followed by a dance. Among those assembled, however, might have been
seen two anxious faces--one of them belonged to Mrs. Armitage. She had
been a young-looking woman for her years, until after the night of the
murder--now she looked old, her hair was sprinkled with gray, her face
had deep lines in it, there was a touch of irritation also in her
manner. She and Hetty kept close together. Sometimes her hand clutched
hold of the hand of her niece and gave it a hard pressure. Hetty's
little hand trembled, and her whole frame quivered with almost
uncontrollable agony when Mrs. Armitage did this. All the gay scene was
ghastly mockery to poor Hetty. Her distress, her wasted appearance,
could not but draw general attention to her. The little girl, however,
had never looked more beautiful nor lovely. She was observed by many
people; strangers pointed her out to one another.
"Do you see that little girl with the beautiful face?" they said. "It
was on her account that the tragedy took place."
Presently the young Squire came down and asked Mrs. Armitage to open the
ball with him.
"You do me great honor, sir," she said. She hesitated, then placed her
hand on his arm.
As he led her away, his eyes met those of Hetty.
"I'll give you a dance later on," he said, nodding carelessly to the
young girl.
She blushed and pressed her hand to her heart.
There wasn't a village lad in the entire assembly who would not have
given a year of his life to dance even once with beautiful little Hetty,
but she declined all the village boys' attentions that evening.
"She wasn't in the humor to dance," she said. "Oh, yes, of course, she
would dance with the Squire if he asked her, but she would not bestow
her favors upon any one else." She sat down presently in a secluded
corner. Her eyes followed Awdrey wherever he went. By and by Margaret
Douglas noticed her. There was something about the childish sad face
which drew out the compassion of Margaret's large heart. She went
quickly across the lawn to speak to her.
"Good-evening, Hetty," she said, "I hope you are well?"
Hetty stood up; she began to tremble.
"Yes, Miss Douglas, I am quite well," she answered.
"You don't look well," said Margaret. "Why are you not dancing?"
"I haven't the heart to dance," said Hetty, turning suddenly away. Her
eyes brimmed with sudden tears.
"Poor little girl! how could I be so thoughtless as to suppose she would
care to dance," thought Margaret. "All her thoughts must be occupied
with this terrible trial--Robert told me that she would be the principal
witness. Poor little thing."
Margaret stretched out her hand impulsively and grasped Hetty's.
"I feel for you--I quite understand you," she said. Her voice trembled
with deep and full sympathy. "I see that you are suffering a great deal,
but you will be better afterward--you ought to go away afterward--you
will want change."
"I would rather stay at home, please, Miss Douglas."
"Well, I won't worry you. Here is Mr. Awdrey. You have not danced once,
Hetty. Would you not like to have a dance with the Squire, just for
luck? Yes, I see you would. Robert, come here."
"What is it?" asked Awdrey. "Oh, is that you, Hetty? I have not
forgotten our dance."
"Dance with her now, Robert," said Margaret. "There is a waltz just
striking up--I will meet you presently on the terrace."
Margaret crossed the lawn, and Awdrey gave his arm to Hetty. She turned
her large gaze upon him for a moment, her lips trembled, she placed her
hand on his arm. "Yes, I will dance with him once," she said to herself.
"It will please me--I am doing a great deal for him, and it will
strengthen me--to have this pleasure. Oh, I hope, I do hope I'll be
brave and silent, and not let the awful pain at my heart get the better
of me. Please, God, help me to be true to Mr. Robert."
"Come, Hetty, why won't you talk?" said the Squire; he gave her a kindly
yet careless glance.
They began to waltz, but Hetty had soon to pause for want of breath.
"You are not well," said Awdrey; "let me lead you out of the crowd.
Here, let us sit the dance out under this tree; now you are better, are
you not?"
"Yes, sir; oh, yes, Mr. Robert, I am much better now." She panted as she
spoke.
"How pale you are," said Awdrey, "and you used to be such a blooming,
rosy little thing. Well, never mind," he added hastily, "I ought not to
forget that you have a good deal to worry you just now. You must try to
keep up your courage. All you have to do to-morrow when you go into
court is to tell the entire and exact truth."
"You don't mean me to do that, you can't," said Hetty. She opened her
eyes and gave a wild startled glance. The next moment her whole face was
covered with confusion. "Oh, what have I said?" she cried, in
consternation. "Of course, I will tell the exact and perfect truth."
"Of course," said Awdrey, surprised at her manner. "You will be under
oath, remember." He stood up as he spoke. "Now let me take you to your
aunt."
"One moment first, Mr. Robert; I'd like to ask you a question."
"Well, Hetty, what is it?" said the young man, kindly.
Hetty raised her eyes for a moment, then she lowered them.
"It's a very awful thing, the kind of thing that God doesn't forgive,"
she said in a whisper, "for--for a girl to tell a lie when she's under
oath?"
"It is perjury," said Awdrey, in a sharp, short voice. "Why should you
worry your head about such a matter?"
"Of course not, sir, only I'd like to know. I hope you'll be very happy
with your good lady, Mr. Awdrey, when you're married. I think I'll go
home now, sir. I'm not quite well, and it makes me giddy to dance. I
wish you a happy life, sir, and--and Miss Douglas the same. If you see
Aunt Fanny, Mr. Robert, will you tell her that I've gone home?"
"Yes, to be sure I will. Good-by, Hetty. Here, shake hands, won't you?
God bless you, little girl. I hope you will soon be all right."
Hetty crept slowly away; she looked like a little gray shadow as she
returned to the village, passing silently through the lovely gardens and
all the sweet summer world. Beautiful as she was, she was out of keeping
with the summer and the time of gayety.
Against Awdrey's wish Margaret insisted on being present during the
first day of the trial. Everett's trial would in all probability occupy
the whole of two days. Awdrey was to appear in court as witness. His
evidence and that of Hetty Armitage and the laborer who had seen Frere
running across the plain would probably sum up the case against the
prisoner. Hetty's evidence, however, was the most important of all. Some
of the neighbors said that Hetty would never have strength to go through
the trial. But when the little creature stepped into the witness-box,
there was no perceptible want of energy about her--her cheeks were pink
with the color of excitement, her lovely eyes shone brightly. She gave
her testimony in a clear, penetrating, slightly defiant voice. That
voice of hers never once faltered. Her eyes full of desperate courage
were fixed firmly on the face of the solicitor who examined her. Even
the terrible ordeal of cross-examination was borne without flinching;
nor did Hetty once commit herself, or contradict her own evidence. At
the end of the cross-examination, however, she fainted off. It was
noticed afterward by eye-witnesses that Hetty's whole evidence had been
given with her face slightly turned away from that of the accused man.
It was after she had inadvertently met his eyes that she turned white to
the very lips, and fell down fainting in the witness-box. She was
carried away immediately, and murmurs of sympathy followed her as she
was taken out of the court. Hetty was undoubtedly the heroine of the
occasion. Her remarkable beauty, her modesty, the ring of truth which
seemed to pervade all her unwilling words, told fatally against poor
Everett.
She was obliged to return to court on the second day, but Margaret did
not go to Salisbury on that occasion. After the first day of the trial
Margaret spent a sleepless night. She was on the eve of her own wedding,
but she could think of nothing but Everett and Everett's mother. Mrs.
Everett was present at the trial. She wore a widow's dress and her veil
was down, but once or twice she raised it and looked at her son; the son
also glanced at his mother. Margaret had seen these glances, and they
wrung her heart to its depths. She felt that she could not be in court
when the verdict was given. She was so excited with regard to the issue
of the trial that she gave no attention to those minor matters which
usually occupy the minds of young brides.
"It doesn't matter," she said to her maid; "pack anything you fancy into
my travelling trunk. Oh, yes, that dress will do; any dress will do.
What hats did you say? Any hats, I don't care. I'm going to Grandcourt
now, there may be news from Salisbury."
"They say, Miss Douglas, that the Court won't rise until late to-night.
The jury are sure to take a long time to consider the case."
"Well, I'm going to Grandcourt now. Mr. Awdrey may have returned. I
shall hear the latest news."
Margaret arrived at the Court just before dinner. Her future
sisters-in-law, Anne and Dorothy, ran out on the lawn to meet her.
"Oh, how white and tired you look!"
"I am not a bit tired; you know I am always pale. Dorothy, has any news
come yet from Salisbury?"
"Nothing special," replied Dorothy. "The groom has come back to tell us
that we are not to wait dinner for either father or Robert. You will
come into the house now, won't you, Margaret?"
"No, I'd rather stay out here. I don't want any dinner."
"Nor do I. I will stay with you," said Dorothy. "Isn't there a lovely
view from here? I love this part of the grounds better than any other
spot. You can just get a peep of the Cathedral to the right and the
Plain to the left."
"I hate the Plain," said Margaret, with a shiver. "I wish Grandcourt
didn't lie so near it."
Dorothy Awdrey raised her delicate brows in surprise.
"Why, the Plain is the charm of Grandcourt," she exclaimed. "Surely,
Margaret, you are not going to get nervous and fanciful, just because a
murder was committed on the Plain."
"Oh, no!" Margaret started to her feet. "Excuse me, Dorothy, I see
Robert coming up the avenue."
"So he is. Stay where you are, and I'll run and get the news."
"No, please let me go."
"Margaret, you are ill."
"I am all right," replied Margaret.
She ran swiftly down the avenue.
Awdrey saw her, and stopped until she came up to him.
"Well?" she asked breathlessly.
He put both his hands on her shoulders, and looked steadily into her
eyes.
"The verdict," she said. "Quick, the verdict."
"Guilty, Maggie; but they have strongly recommended him to mercy.
Maggie, Maggie, my darling, what is it?"
She flung her arms round his neck, and hid her trembling face against
his breast.
"I can't help it," she said. "It is the eve of our wedding-day. Oh, I
feel sick with terror--sick with sorrow."