"What can you mean?" I asked.
To my amazement, she flung herself on her knees at my feet.
"You can invent something," she said, clasping my hand and pressing it
frantically between both her own. "Oh, it would not be a crime--and
it would save a life--two lives. Say you saw symptoms of apoplexy.
Say--oh, you will know what to say--and you are a great doctor, and you
will be believed."
"Get up," I said, sternly; "I will forgive your wild words, for
circumstances have excited you so much that you do not quite know what
you are saying. Believe me that nothing would give me more sincere
satisfaction than to be able to discover the real cause of poor
Randall's death. But you mistake your man utterly when you make the
suggestion you do. Now I must leave you. It is almost morning, and I
have promised to meet Brabazon downstairs at an early hour."
I went back to my own room, where I sat in anxious thought until the
time which Brabazon had appointed for us to meet arrived. I then went
down to the smoking-room, where I found him.
He looked harassed and ill--no wonder. The subject we had met to
discuss was how best the news of their only son's death was to be
broken to Lord and Lady Hartmore. The Hartmores' place was situated
about a hundred miles away. Brabazon said that there was nothing
whatever for it but to telegraph the unhappy circumstance to them.
"And I fear doing so very much," he added, "for Hartmore is not strong:
he has a rather dangerous heart affection."
"Don't telegraph," I said, impulsively; "I will go and see them."
"You!" exclaimed Brabazon. "That would be an immense relief. You
will know how to break the news in the least startling way. I should
recommend you to see Lady Hartmore if possible first--she is a
strong-minded woman, and has a fine character. But, at best, the shock
will be terrible--it is good of you, Halifax, to undertake so fearful a
mission."
"Not at all," I replied. "Will you come with me?"
"I fear I cannot. My wife is very much shaken, and I ought not to leave
her with a house full of people."
"I suppose most of your guests will leave to-day?"
"Probably; still, for the time being, they are here. Then there is the
inquest, which will most likely take place to-day."
"I was going to propose," I said, "that a post-mortem examination
should precede the inquest."
Brabazon raised his brows--he looked annoyed.
"Is that necessary?" he asked--"a post-mortem examination will only add
needlessly to the sufferings of the unfortunate parents. In this case,
surely, the cause of death is clearly defined--fracture of the skull?"
"The cause of death _is_ clearly defined," I answered, "but not the
cause of the sudden vertigo."
"The sudden vertigo, according to Carleton's account," corrected
Brabazon. He did not say anything further for a moment--nor did I.
After a pause, he continued: "As you are good enough to say you will go
to Tregunnel, I will ask you to take poor Randall's last letter with
you. I went into his room yesterday evening, and found one directed to
his mother on the writing-table. She will prize it, of course. Now I
had better look up your train."
He did so, and half an hour afterwards I was driving as fast as a pair
of horses could take me to the nearest railway station. I caught an
early train to Tregunnel, and arrived there between nine and ten that
morning. A cab conveyed me to the castle, which stood on a little
eminence above the sleepy-looking town.
My errand was, in truth, a gloomy one. During the journey I had
made up my mind for every reason to see Lady Hartmore first. When
the servant opened the door, I asked for her, and giving the man my
card, told him that I wished to see his mistress alone on a matter
of urgent importance. I was shown into a morning-room, and in a very
short time Lady Hartmore came in. She was a tall, fine-looking woman,
with a likeness to her dead son about her kindly, well-opened eyes and
pleasant mouth.
My name and the message I had sent to her by the servant naturally
startled her. She gave me a keen glance when she entered the room,
which I returned with interest. I saw at once that her heart was strong
enough, her nature brave enough, to stand the full weight of the
terrible calamity without breaking down.
"I have come to see you on a most painful matter," I began at once. "I
am just now visiting the Brabazons at Penporran."
"Then it is something about my son," she exclaimed, instantly. Her
face grew very pale; she pressed her hand to her left side, and looked
hurriedly towards the door.
"Lord Hartmore may come in, if you are not quick," she said. "He was in
the breakfast-room when the servant brought me your card and message.
Please tell what you have got to say at once--I can bear a shock, but
he cannot."
Poor wife! poor mother! Her eyes looked at me with dumb entreaty, while
her lips uttered the words of courage.
"Women like you, Lady Hartmore," I could not help uttering,
impulsively, "are always brave. It is my terrible mission to inflict a
great blow upon you--your son has met with an accident."
"Is he dead?" she asked. She came close to me as she spoke, her voice
had sunk to a hoarse whisper.
[Illustration: "'IS HE DEAD?' SHE ASKED."]
"He is dead," I replied, instantly; "sit down."