FALSE WITNESS
Sally failed, however, fully to appreciate how long it was that she
had rested there, moveless upon that secluded marble seat, spellbound
in the preoccupation of those thoughts, at once long and sweet with
the comfort of a solaced self-esteem, for which she had to thank the
author of her first proposal of marriage.
She rose and turned back to Gosnold House only on the prompting of
instinct, vaguely conscious that the night had now turned its nadir
and the time was drawing near when she must present herself first to
her employer with the tale of last night's doings, then to Savage to
learn his version of the happenings in New York.
But by the time she reminded herself of these two matters she found
that they had receded to a status of strangely diminished importance
in her understanding. It was her duty, of course, a duty imposed upon
her by her dependent position as much as by her affection for the
lady, to tell Mrs. Gosnold all she knew without any reservation
whatever; and it was equally her duty to herself, as a matter of
common self-protection, to hear what Savage professed such anxiety to
communicate. And not quite definitely realising that it was Mr.
Trego's passion which overshadowed both of these businesses, she
wondered mildly at her unconcern with either. Somehow she would gladly
have sealed both lips and ears to them and gone on basking
uninterruptedly in the warmth of her sudden self-complacence.
By no means the least remarkable property of the common phenomenon of
love is the contentment which it never fails to kindle in the bosom of
its object, regardless of its source. In a world where love is far
more general than aversion, wherein the most hateful and hideous is
frequently the most beloved, it remains true that even a king will
strut with added arrogance because of the ardent glance of a
serving-wench.
And so, failing to realise her tardiness, it was not unnatural that
Sally, entering the house by that historic side door and ascending the
staircase that led directly to her bedchamber, should think to stop a
moment and consult the mirror for confirmation of Mr. Trego's implicit
compliments.
As one result of this action, instigated in the first instance less by
vanity than by desire to avoid the crowds at the main entrances,
Sally uncovered another facet of mystery.
On entering, she left the side door heedlessly ajar, and there was
enough air astir to shut it with a bang as she turned up the
staircase. Two seconds later that bang was echoed by a door above, and
a quick patter of light footfalls followed. But by the time Sally
gained the landing there was no one visible in the length of the
corridor from end to end of that wing.
Now the door of the room opposite her was wide open on a dark
interior. And the room adjoining was untenanted, as she knew. It
seemed impossible that the second slam could have been caused by any
door other than that of her own bedchamber. Yet why should anyone have
trespassed there but one of the housemaids? And if the trespasser had
been a housemaid, why that sudden and furtive flight and swift
disappearance from the corridor?
Her speculations on this point were both indefinite and short-lived.
She thought her hearing must have deceived her; a hasty look round the
room discovered nothing superficially out of place, and the little
gilt clock on her dressing-table told her that she was already seven
minutes behind time. She delayed only for one hasty survey of the
flushed face with star-bright eyes that the mirror revealed, and then
with an inarticulate reflection that, after all, one could
hardly blame Mr. Trego very severely, Sally caught up her long dark
cloak and made off down the corridor, past the head of the main
staircase, to the door of Mrs. Gosnold's boudoir.
A voice sharp with vexation answered her knock; she entered to find
its owner fuming, and not only that, but surprisingly _en deshabille_.
The dress of Queen Elizabeth was gone, and Mrs. Gosnold stood on the
threshold of her bedchamber clothed simply in undergarments and
impatience.
"Why are you so late?" she demanded. "I was beginning to be afraid . . .
But thank Heaven you're here! You very nearly spoiled everything,
but there's still time. Come in."
She led the way into her bedchamber, and without acknowledging Sally's
murmur of startled apology, waved an impetuous hand at her.
"Quick!" she demanded. "Get out of that costume at once!"
Her maid was already at Sally's side, fumbling with pins and hooks,
before the girl recovered from her astonishment sufficiently to seek
enlightenment.
"But what's the matter? What have I done? What--?"
"Nothing much--merely almost upset the applecart for me!" Mrs. Gosnold
laughed in grim humour, her own fingers busily aiding the maid's.
"Come, step out of that skirt, please. If you'd been two minutes
later . . . I'm simply going to pretend I'm you for ten minutes or
so," she explained, lowering the shimmering gray Quaker skirt over her
own shoulders. "I'm going to meet Walter Savage in your stead."
"But--"
"But me no buts. I heard enough there at the window, before you came
on the scene, to make me very suspicious of that young rascal, even
more so than I had every right to be from what you had told me. Now I
mean to learn the rest, find out precisely what devilment he's up to."
"He only wants to tell me--"
"There's nothing he can possibly have to say to you that he couldn't
have said a hundred times tonight in as many corners of the house and
grounds without a soul hearing a word or thinking it odd that two
young people should be exchanging confidences--and both of you masked
into the bargain."
Sally, now entirely divested of her masquerade, resignedly shrugged
herself into the black silk cloak for lack of a better negligee.
"I don't understand what you can suspect," she said dubiously.
"I don't suspect anything; but I'm going to find out everything."
"But aren't you afraid--"
"Of what, pray'?" Mrs. Gosnold demanded with appropriate asperity.
"I mean, don't you think he'll know?"
"Nothing in the shadow of those trees, with my mask and that cape to
disguise the fact that I'm a bit more matronly than yourself--worse
luck!"
"But your voice--"
"Haven't you ever read about 'guarded accents' in novels? Those will
be mine, precisely, when I talk to my graceless nephew. I shan't speak
once above a whisper--and I defy any man to tell my whisper from yours
or any other woman's for that matter. Don't flatter yourself, my dear!
I shall fool him perfectly; there's precious little to choose between
any two women in the dark!"
Already she was almost finished dressing, and as yet Sally hadn't had
a chance to breathe a word about her own information.
"But there's something I must tell you," she insisted, suddenly
reminded.
"About what?"
"Last night--things that happened after everybody had gone to bed. You
knew I was restless. I saw several things I haven't told you about.
You ought to know. They may clear up the mystery of the theft."
"I already know all about that," Mrs. Gosnold declared calmly.
"About Mr. Lyttleton and the boat and the signals--"
Mrs. Gosnold turned sharply from her mirror. "What's this? Why didn't
you tell me before?"
"I didn't know about the robbery, and I thought it was none of my
affair--"
"It doesn't matter." Mrs. Gosnold caught up her cloak and threw it to
the maid to adjust on her shoulders. "Whatever you saw had nothing to
do with the robbery. Don Lyttleton's a bad lot in more ways than one,
but he didn't steal my jewels last night--that I know."
"But who did?"
"I hope you may never find out."
"You know, then?"
"Positively." The lady adjusted her mask and caught her cloak about
her. "Wait here till I come back. Then you may tell me about Don
Lyttleton and the boat and the signals. I'll be as quick as I can."
She darted hurriedly away.
The wonder excited by Mrs. Gosnold's declaration that she knew the
identity of the thief--even though, the girl told herself, she had all
along suspected as much--kept Sally quiet for the next several
minutes. She was sorely tempted to question the maid, but one look at
that quiet, impassive countenance assured her that this would be
wasted breath.
Insensibly the tempo of a haunting waltz that sang clear in the night
beyond the open windows wove itself into the texture of Sally's
thoughts and set her blood tingling in response.
She recalled Trego with a recurrent glow of gratification.
Poor fellow!
One foot began to tap the floor in time to the music. She hadn't
danced once that night, had purposely avoided every chance of an
invitation to dance. And now, of a sudden, she wanted to, without
reason or excuse.
It was very curious. She wondered at herself. What had worked this
change? Was it really nothing more nor less than a declaration of love
on the part of a man she--didn't altogether like?
Though, of course, she hadn't ever been quite fair to him. He had
admirable qualities. His honesty. His scorn of pretence and
subterfuge. His simple faith in Sally Manvers, however misplaced.
If he were to beg a dance when Mrs. Gosnold had returned and Sally,
recostumed, had rejoined the maskers, she hardly knew how she could in
decency refuse him now. . . .
The clock on the mantelpiece struck a single stroke.
Sally started and looked up, to meet Marie's questioning glance.
"One o' clock?"
"Yes, Miss Manwaring."
"Then--why, she's been gone over fifteen minutes."
"Yes, miss."
What could Savage have found to say to Sally that her substitute need
delay so long to hear it?
Sally frowned.
At the end of another five minutes the maid volunteered uneasily:
"It's very odd. Mrs. Gosnold didn't expect to be away more than five
or ten minutes, I know. She said as much before you came in."
Sally got up and went to a window which overlooked the driveway and
lawn. Parting the curtains, she glanced out. The lawn was fair with
moonlight, the driveway silver-blue, the woods behind dark and still.
There was a closed car waiting at one side of the porte-cochere. The
others--all those belonging to Gosnold House, as well as those of
guests for the fete--were hidden among the trees bordering the road or
parked in the open spaces around the garage and stables at a
considerable remove from the house.
There was no one to be seen on the lawn or drive, no hurrying figure
cloaked in Quaker grey.
After some minutes of fruitless watching Sally ventured doubtfully:
"What time is it?"
"Ten past one, miss."
"Nearly half an hour--"
"Yes, miss."
"Do you think Mrs. Gosnold would mind if you went to make sure she was
all right?"
"I don't know, Miss Manwaring. She doesn't like interference, if I may
make so bold as to say so."
A little later, however, the woman added tentatively: "I wouldn't care
to take the responsibility, myself, of going to see."
"But if I order you to go--"
"Yes, miss," Marie smiled.
"Then I do order you to go. But don't be long."
"No, miss."
Sally waited in a mood of constantly increasing anxiety. It was absurd
to think that anything untoward could have happened to Mrs. Gosnold on
her own grounds, meeting her own nephew for a clandestine talk. And of
course she might have learned something from Savage which had induced
her, for her own ends, to maintain her masquerade for a longer time.
She was quite possibly somewhere on the terrace or in the formal
garden.
Marie was back within five minutes, wearing an apprehensive
countenance.
"There's nobody out back, miss, near the road, where she said she was
to meet Mr. Savage, and I asked Thomas and some of the waiters,
and they all said they hadn't seen her."
"But in my costume and masked . . ."
"It's past one, miss, already, and everybody has unmasked."
"To be sure. I'm going to my room and get into another dress. Then
I'll look round for her myself."
"If you'll be so kind, miss--without letting on--"
"Of course."
"Mrs. Gosnold would be very indignant if any mistake was made."
Sally caught her cloak tightly about her, and because of its
unconventionality as a costume, resumed her mask against the chance of
meeting anybody in her passage through the corridor to the far wing of
the building.
She fairly ran in her impatience, and through this haste was brought
to the head of the main staircase at the precise moment when an
unmasked Harlequin was about to set foot upon the upper landing.
Mr. Savage was smiling quietly to himself and slapping his calves
lightly with his lath-sword; nothing in his manner excused the
suspicion that he was not perfectly satisfied with himself and all his
circumstances.
Somewhat reassured by the vision of this amiable countenance, Sally
paused, and won a glance of quizzical inquiry, with especial
application to the mask which she still wore in defiance of the rule.
But when she spoke in her natural voice that look was erased from the
features of Mr. Savage as chalk-marks may be erased from a blackboard.
"Oh, Mr. Savage, if you please--"
"Wha-at!" the man ejaculated blankly, stopping short and dropping his
make-believe weapon.
"I'm looking for Mrs. Gosnold. Have you seen her anywhere about?"
"Mrs. Gos--! Aunt Abby!" He choked and gasped. "But you--who are you?"
"I thought you must know my voice."
Sally removed her mask, and incontinently Savage fell back against the
banister-rail and grasped it for support.
"Miss Manvers! But--what--how the devil did you get back here?"
"I haven't been out."
She pulled up on the verge of frank explanation; it was quite possible
that Mrs. Gosnold might furiously resent betrayal of her stratagem.
And yet Savage's look of pure fright only augmented Sally's solicitude
for her employer.
"You haven't been out! But ten minutes ago--out there--behind the
trees--"
She shook her head and tried to smile a superior sort of a smile: "It
wasn't I who met you."
The man made a gesture of hopeless confusion, and she could not but
remark his surprising loss of colour. Suddenly he stepped to her side
and seized her roughly by the arm.
"Then who was it'?" he demanded furiously. "If it wasn't you--who
then? Damn it, you'd better tell me--!"
"Let go my arm!" she demanded with a flash of temper that was instantly
respected. "If you must know," she went on, reckless at consequences,
"it was your aunt who met and talked to you out there. Don't you
understand? She borrowed my costume and went to meet you in my place."
"Oh, my God!"
Savage was now chalky pale. He seemed to strive, to say more, but
failed for the constriction of his throat. For another instant he
stared incredulously, then, without a word of explanation or apology,
he turned and flung himself headlong down the steps!
Before reaching the middle landing, however, he checked himself on the
reflection that he must avoid attracting attention, and went on more
slowly, if still with many a symptom of nervous haste.
At the bottom he turned aside and was quickly lost in, the crowd.
Unable to pursue, dressed as she was, Sally went on to her room in a
mood of dark perplexity.
Surely it would seem that Savage must have been engaged in some
very damnable business indeed, and have given himself away
irremediably to Mrs. Gosnold, thinking her Sally, to exhibit such
unmitigated consternation on discovery of his error.
But what could it have been? Sally could imagine nothing in their
admittedly singular relations which, being disclosed to the aunt,
should so completely confound the nephew.
Mrs. Gosnold had suggested no insufferable resentment of the deception
practised upon her, when informed of it by Sally. And why, therefore,
Mr. Savage should comport himself as if the heavens had fallen on
learning that he had betrayed himself unconsciously to his aunt, was
something that passed Sally's comprehension.
And the strange flavour of the affair alarmed her: first, Mrs.
Gosnold's unexplained (but, after all, not inexplicable) failure to
return to her room on time; then this panic of Savage's.
It was patently the girl's immediate business to find one or the other
or both of them and make sure that nothing was radically wrong after
all.
By happy chance her very prettiest evening frock didn't hook up the
back; she was able to struggle into it not only without assistance,
but within a very few minutes.
Then, scurrying back to Mrs. Gosnold's room, she read in the
apprehensive eyes of the maid, even before this last could
speak, the news that the mistress was still missing, and so, darting
down-stairs, began industriously to search the house and grounds.
By this hour few signs were wanting that the festival was on its wane;
already cars were arriving and departing, laden with the very youngest
and the oldest people; there was perceptibly more room on the
dancing-floor of the veranda, which was populated chiefly by the
younger set; in the supper-room the more rowdy crowd hung on with
numbers undiminished and enthusiasm unabated if liberally dampened;
about the grounds there was far less movement, far more lingering in
sequestered nooks and shadows. Ecstatica, for one, had folded her
tent, liberated her black cat to the life of a convinced misogynist,
and vanished into the shades of night.
But nowhere was any sign to be found of anyone of those three whom
Sally sought--Mrs. Gosnold or Savage or, failing these, Mrs. Standish.
Now when she had nearly completed one exhaustive round of the grounds
and was wondering where next to turn, with neither warning nor
expectation she came around one end of a screen of shrubbery and
stopped just short of surprising another sentimental tableau, staged
in the identical setting used for Mr. Trego's declaration and cast
with a change of but one mummer.
And in the instant marked by recognition of that selfsame marble
seat commanding that same view of silvered sea and bathed in the light
of that same heartless moon, Sally seemed to hear the echo of her
destiny's sardonic laughter.
The gentleman was Mr. Trego, the lady Mrs. Artemas; and they were
ignorant of Sally's observation for the simple reason that Mr. Trego's
back was toward her and the head of Mrs. Artemas was pillowed on his
shoulder--her arms white bonds around his neck.
And as if this were not enough, Sally's discovery of them anticipated
by the barest moment the appearance of another couple around the
farther end of the clump of shrubbery--two people who happened to be
husband and wife and known to Sally as recent additions to the
house-party.
These, too, stopped sharply and would have considerately withdrawn but
for the fact that, standing as he did, Trego could not help seeing
them. He spoke a word, presumably, in the ear so near his lips. The
woman swung away in a twinkling, breaking from his arms but retaining
one of his hands, and faced the two with a little excited laugh that
sounded almost hysterical; and Sally noted that her eyes were bright
with tears--of happiness, of course.
"Oh!" she cried, laughing and confused, "is it you, Mrs. Warrenden?
No, please don't run. It's too late now--isn't it--when you've caught
us in the act! You and Mr. Warrenden will be the first to know
of our happiness . . ."
Sally heard no more. The scene vanished from her vision as if the
moonlight had been extinguished. It was some moments before she
realised that she was running madly, as if hoping flight might help
her exorcise that ironic vision. But when she did realise what she was
doing, she but ran the faster; let people think what they would; she
no longer cared; their esteem no more mattered, for she was finished
with them one and all--yes, even with Mrs. Gosnold!
Blindly instinct led her back to her room, again via that side door.
She flung tempestuously into its friendly darkness, locked herself in,
and dropped, spent and racked, upon the edge of the bed, clenching her
hands into two hard, tight fists, gritting her teeth, and fighting
with all her strength to keep back the storm that threatened of sobs
and tears and nervous laughter.
It wasn't as if she had really cared for the man--it was worse. It
was the sum of all the blows her poor, struggling pride had suffered
in the course of the last twenty-four hours, beginning with her
awakening to the worthlessness of Lyttleton and realisation of the low
esteem in which he held her, and culminating in this facer from one
whose love she had refused but none the less prized for the
comfort it gave her.
Nor was this all. In addition to the writhings of an exacerbated
vanity, she was conscious of a sense of personal loss, as if a
landmark had been razed in the perspective of her life. In spite of
those faults and shortcomings, so unduly emphasised through the man's
own deliberate intent and so inexcusable in one who appreciated so
well what was expected of a man in his position, Sally had
subconsciously from the very first felt Trego to be one whose faith
and loyalty were as a rock, whose friendship might be counted upon as
an enduring tower of refuge.
And to have him go from her, protesting passionate patience, leaving
her exalted with the consciousness that she was wanted--to have him go
thus from her and straightway fall into the trap which Mrs. Artemas
unaffectedly baited--the trap of which he had not once but many times
obliquely alluded to in half-humorous, half-genuine terms of fear--it
was, or seemed to be, intolerable.
The waves of burning emotion that swept and scorched her were
alternately of rage and chagrin.
Granted the opportunity, she could easily conceive herself as dealing
very vigorously with the mantrap.
Some one rattled the knob of her door. Startled, Sally jumped up, and
with her wadded handkerchief dabbed hastily and superfluously at
her eyes, which were quite dry as yet.
She did not answer, but eyed apprehensively the dark recess in which
the door was set at the end of her unlighted room.
A knock followed the noise of the knob. Still she hesitated to reply.
Uncertainly she moved toward the nearest wall-sconce and lifted her
hand to the switch. She was sadly confused and unstrung, her thoughts
awhirl and nerves ajangle. The last thing she wished just then was to
meet and talk to anybody.
Still it might be Mrs. Gosnold or her messenger. And that lady was
Sally's one remaining friend on earth. She swallowed hard, took
herself firmly in hand, and when the knock was repeated was able to
answer in a tolerably even voice:
"Well? Who is it?"
"Miss Manwaring, are you there?" Heartfelt relief informed the voice
of Mrs. Standish. "Please let me in. I must speak with you
immediately."
Sullenly, without replying, Sally turned on the light, moved to the
door, unlocked and opened it.
"Come in," she said ungraciously.
Mrs. Standish swept in, gay crimson domino over fluffy skirts and
slim, pink legs assorting oddly with the agitation betrayed by her
unsmiling eyes, her pallor accentuating the rouge on her cheeks
like rose-petals against snow.
"Thank God!" she whispered, "I've found you at last. I've looked
everywhere for the last half-hour. This is the second time I've been
here. You just got in, of course. Where _have_ you been?"
"Does it matter?" Sally fenced, maintaining a stony countenance. "I
mean, I don't think it does, now you've run me to earth at last.
What's the trouble?"
"You haven't seen Walter'? He hasn't told you?"
"No; I tried to speak to him half an hour ago, but he ran from me as
if I were a ghost!"
"You know why!" The woman's voice trembled with restrained rage. "You
impossible girl! Why, why did you let Aunt Abby go to meet him instead
of you? It was fatal, it was criminal. Of course, he gave the whole
show away to her, never guessing. Now it's all up with us; we'll never
be asked here again; and the chances are she'll cut us out of her will
as well. Why did you do it? Oh, I could shake you!"
"I know well you would if you could," Sally admitted calmly.
"Only--better not try."
"But why--?"
"Well, if you must know, Mrs. Gosnold overheard you three plotting
together out there just before I came on the scene. She was at
the window overhead, listening through the shutters. I don't know what
you were talking about--she didn't tell me--but it was enough to make
her insist on my giving her my costume so that she might go and hear
the rest of it."
Mrs. Standish bit her lip. And her eyes shifted uneasily from Sally's
face.
"You haven't seen her since--"
"No," Sally answered bluntly. "Have you?"
"No. Walter and I have both been looking for her as well as you.
That's why he ran when he knew about this terrible mistake; he wanted
to find her and set things straight if he could. But she"--the woman
stumbled and her eyes shifted again--"she's gone and hidden
herself--plotting our humiliation and punishment, I dare say. I only
wish I knew. Walter is still hunting everywhere for her. See here: I
presume you understand you've got to go now?"
"Why?"
"For one good reason--if what has happened isn't enough to persuade
you--because there will be a man here from New York by the first
boat--seven o'clock to-morrow morning--with a warrant for the arrest
of Sarah Manvers."
"Are you telling the truth, Mrs. Standish?"
"How dare you! No, I won't let you make me lose my temper with
your insolence. The matter is too serious, and I've no wish to see you
suffer, even if you have ruined everything for us. You must listen to
me, Miss Manvers: be advised and go. I don't know what put them on
your trail, what made them suspect you were here, but the
burglary-insurance people had the warrant sworn out yesterday
afternoon and started a man up by the evening boat. Walter got a
telegram to that effect about ten o'clock. That's what he wanted to
say to you--that, and to give you some money and directions for
getting away."
"But why should I leave?"
"Do you want to go to jail?"
"Not much. But I don't see why I need. You can easily explain that my
things in the bath-room were left there with your knowledge at the
time when you took pity on me and gave me a change of clothing to
travel in."
"It's too late. If we had explained it that way, to begin with, it
would have been all right. But neither of us thought. And Walter
bungled things frightfully in New York. Now if we come forward with
any such story they'll think we're all in a conspiracy to defraud the
company."
"Oh!" Sally exclaimed abruptly, with an accent of enlightenment that
discountenanced the older woman.
With an effort, recovering, she sought to distract the girl.
"Surely you must see now, you have got to go! There's a boat to the
mainland at six thirty. If you catch that, you'll have three hours'
start; for the detective won't be able to get off the island before
half past nine. And you ought to be able to lose yourself in that time
somehow. Hurry; I'll help you pack a satchel. You'd better wear that
blue serge; everybody wears blue serge, so it's inconspicuous. And
here's some money for travelling expenses."
Sally ignored the little fold of bills held out to her.
"I'm not going," she declared firmly.
"Are you mad?"
"I would be to go with the situation what it is here. Don't you see
that, unless those jewels are returned to Mrs. Gosnold to-night--yes,
I mean the jewels you were so ready to accuse me of stealing a little
while ago; but you seem to have forgotten that now--"
"I wish you would," Mrs. Standish replied, schooling her voice to
accents of dulcet entreaty. "I was beside myself with anxiety--"
"Wait. If I go before those jewels are recovered--disappear, as you
want me to--it will be equivalent to a confession that I myself stole
them. And suppose I did."
"What!"
"I say, suppose I did, for the sake of argument. What right have you
to assume that I didn't commit the theft? No more than you had to
accuse me as you did. And until the theft is made good, what right
have you to let me go and, possibly, get away with my loot? No!" Sally
shook her head. "You're not logical, you're not honest with me.
There's something behind all this. I'm not going to be made a
scapegoat for you. I'm not going to run away now and hide simply to
further your plans for swindling the burglary-insurance company. I'll
see Mrs. Gosnold and advise with her before I stir a step."
"Oh, you are insufferable!" Mrs. Standish cried.
In a flash she lost control of her temper altogether. Her face grew
ghastly with the pallor of her rage. And she trembled visibly.
But what else she might have said to the defiant girl was cut short by
the sudden and unceremonious opening of the door to admit three
persons.
The first and last of these were Mercedes Pride and Mr. Lyttleton.
Between them entered a man unknown to Sally--a hard-featured citizen
in very ordinary business clothing, cold of eye, uncompromising of
manner.
Jubilation glowed in the witch's glance; anticipative relish of the
flavour of triumph lent her voice a shriller note. She struck an
attitude, singling out Sally with a denunciatory arm.
"There she is! That's the woman who calls herself Sara Manwaring. Now
arrest her--make her confess what she's done with those jewels--pack
her off to jail!"