THE CHIEF EXECUTOR, APPEARS UPON THE SCENE
"Why, how do you do, Sir Gerald?" and Hawkes went across quickly with
outstretched hand.
"Hello, Hawkes," replied Jerry, too preoccupied to return the act of
salutation. Instead, he nodded in the direction Peg had gone and
questioned:
"What does she mean--going in a few minutes?"
"She is returning to America. Our term of guardianship is over."
"How's that?"
"She absolutely refuses to stay here any longer. My duties in regard to
her, outside of the annual payment provided by her late uncle, end
to-day," replied the lawyer.
"I think not, Hawkes."
"I beg your pardon?"
"As the Chief Executor of the late Mr. Kingsnorth's will, _I_ must be
satisfied that its conditions are complied with in the SPIRIT as well
as to the LETTER," said Jerry, authoritatively.
"Exactly," was the solicitor's reply. "And--?"
"Mr. Kingsnorth expressly stipulated that a year was to elapse before
any definite conclusion was arrived at. So far only a month has passed."
"But she insists on returning to her father!" protested Mr. Hawkes.
"Have you told her the conditions of the will?"
"Certainly not. Mr. Kingsnorth distinctly stated she was not to know
them."
"Except under exceptional circumstances. I consider the circumstances
most exceptional."
"I am afraid I cannot agree with you, Sir Gerald."
"That is a pity. But it doesn't alter my intention."
"And may I ask what that intention is?"
"To carry out the spirit of Mr. Kingsnorth's bequest."
"And what do you consider the spirit?"
"I think we will best carry out Mr. Kingsnorth's last wishes by making
known the conditions of his bequest to Miss O'Connell and then let her
decide whether she wishes to abide by them or not."
"As the late Mr. Kingsnorth's legal adviser, I must strongly object to
such a course," protested the indignant lawyer.
"All the same, Mr. Hawkes, I feel compelled to take it, and I must ask
you to act under my instructions."
"Really," exclaimed Mr. Hawkes; "I should much prefer to resign from my
executorship."
"Nonsense. In the interests of all parties, we must act together and
endeavour to carry out the dead man's wishes."
The lawyer considered a moment and then in a somewhat mollified tone,
said:
"Very well, Sir Gerald. If you think it is necessary, why then by all
means, I shall concur in your views."
"Thank you," replied the Chief Executor.
Mrs. Chichester came into the room and went straight to Jerry. At the
same time, Alaric burst in through the garden and greeted Jerry and
Hawkes.
"I heard you were here--" began Mrs. Chichester.
Jerry interrupted her anxiously: "Mrs. Chichester, I was entirely to
blame for last night's unfortunate business. Don't visit your
displeasure on the poor little child. Please don't."
"I've tried to tell her that I'll overlook it. But she seems determined
to go. Can you suggest anything that might make her stay? She seems to
like you--and after all--as you so generously admit--it was--to a
certain extent your fault."
Before Jerry could reply, Jarvis came down the stairs with a
pained--not to say mortified--expression on his face. Underneath his
left arm he held tightly a shabby little bag and a freshly wrapped up
parcel: in his right hand, held far away from his body, was the
melancholy and picturesque terrier--"Michael."
Mrs. Chichester looked at him in horror.
"Where are you going with those--THINGS?" she gasped.
"To put them in a cab, madam," answered the humiliated footman. "Your
niece's orders."
"Put those articles in a travelling-bag--use one of my daughter's,"
ordered the old lady.
"Your niece objects, madam. She sez she'll take nothing away she didn't
bring with her."
The grief-stricken woman turned away as Jarvis passed out. Alaric tried
to comfort her. But the strain of the morning had been too great. Mrs.
Chichester burst into tears.
"Don't weep, mater. Please don't. It can't be helped. We've all done
our best. I know _I_ have!" and Alaric put his mother carefully down on
the lounge and sat beside her on the arm. He looked cheerfully at Jerry
and smiled as he said:
"I even offered to marry her if she'd stay. Couldn't do more than that,
could I?"
Hawkes listened intently.
Jerry returned Alaric's smile as he asked: "YOU offered to marry her?"
Alaric nodded:
"Poor little wretch. Still I'd have gone through with it."
"And what did she say?" queried Jerry.
"First of all she laughed in my face--right in my face--the little
beggar!"
Hawkes frowned gloomily as though at some painful remembrance.
"And after she had concluded her cachinnatory outburst, she coolly told
me she would rather have 'MICHAEL.' She is certainly a remarkable
little person and outside of the inconvenience of having her here, we
should all be delighted to go on taking care of her. And if dancing is
the rock we are going to split on, let us get one up every week for
her. Eh, Jerry? You'd come, wouldn't you?"
Down the stairs came Peg and Ethel. Peg was holding one of Ethel's
hands tightly. There seemed to be a thorough understanding between
them. Peg was dressed in the same little black suit she wore when she
first entered the Chichester family and the same little hat.
They all looked at her in amazement, amusement, interrogation and
disgust respectively.
When they reached the bottom of the stairs, Ethel stopped Peg and
entreated:
"Don't go!"
"I must. There's nothin' in the wurrld 'ud kape me here now. Nothin'!"
"I'll drive with you to the station. May I?" asked Ethel.
"All right, dear." Peg crossed over to Mrs. Chichester:
"Good-bye, aunt. I'm sorry I've been such a throuble to ye."
The poor lady looked at Peg through misty eyes and said reproachfully:
"WHY that dress? Why not one of the dresses I gave you?"
"This is the way I left me father, an' this is the way I'm goin' back
to him!" replied Peg sturdily. "Goodbye, Cousin Alaric," and she
laughed good-naturedly at the odd little man. In spite of everything he
did, he had a spice of originality about him that compelled Peg to
overlook what might have seemed to others unpardonable priggishness.
"Good-bye--little devil!" cried Alaric, cheerfully taking the offered
hand. "Good luck to ye. And take care of yerself," added Alaric,
generously.
As Peg turned away from him, she came face to face with Jerry--or as
she kept calling him in her brain by his new name--to her--Sir Gerald
Adair. She dropped her eyes and timidly held out her hand:
"Good-bye!" was all she said.
"You're not going, Peg," said Jerry, quietly and positively.
"Who's goin' to stop me?"
"The Chief Executor of the late Mr. Kingsnorth's will."
"An' who is THAT?"
"'Mr. Jerry,' Peg!"
"YOU an executor?"
"I am. Sit down--here in our midst--and know why you have been here all
the past month."
As he forced Peg gently into a chair, Mrs. Chichester and Alaric turned
indignantly on him. Mr. Hawkes moved down to listen, and, if necessary,
advise.
There was pleasure showing on one face only--on Ethel's.
She alone wanted Peg to understand her position in that house.
Since the previous night the real womanly note awakened in Ethel.
Her heart went out to Peg.