LEAH'S CONFESSION
'You know what happened that day, sir,' observed Leah, hesitating a
moment, for even her hard nature felt some compunction at the look of
suffering on her master's face. She had eaten his bread for years, and
had deceived and duped him; but she must have felt remorse stirring in
her as she saw him drop his head on his clasped hands again, as though
he were compelling himself to listen without interruption.
'You had been talking to Mr. Eric a long time in the study, Miss Etta
told me; he had been going on like mad about Mr. Edgar Brown, and having
to go to Mr. Armstrong's office; but you had been very firm, and had
refused to hear any more, and he had flung off to his own room in one of
his passions. Miss Gladys had followed him, and I heard him telling her
that he had forgotten himself and struck you, and that you had turned
him out of the study, and that he was in difficulties and must have
money, for Mr. Edgar had got him into some trouble.'
'You heard this by listening at Mr. Eric's door, for Miss Gladys saw
you,' I observed, not willing to let this pass.
'What has that got to do with it?' she returned rudely. 'I am speaking
to the master, not you': but she grew a shade paler as I spoke. 'You
were up late that night, sir; I was waiting to speak to Miss Etta, and
encountered you in the passage. I went back to my own room for a little
while, and then I knocked at her door; but there was no answer. I could
see the room was dark, but I could hardly believe she was asleep: so I
went to the bed and called Miss Etta, but I very soon found she was not
there: her gown was on the couch and her dressing-gown missing from its
place.
'I had a notion that I might as well follow her, for somehow I guessed
that she had gone to the study; but I was certainly not prepared to see
Mr. Eric stooping over your desk. He had a letter in his hand, and had
just put down his chamber candlestick. All at once it flashed upon my
mind that Miss Etta had told me that you had received a large cheque that
night, and that you were going up to London the next day to cash it, and
she hoped Dryden would not call again before you went. She said it quite
casually, and I am sure then she had not thought of helping herself. Then
the thought must have come to her all of a sudden.
'I remembered the cheque, and for an instant I suspected Mr. Eric. But as
I was watching him I saw the curtain of one of the windows move, and I
had a glimpse of yellow embroidery that certainly belonged to Miss Etta's
dressing-gown. In a moment I grasped the truth: she had taken the cheque
to settle Dryden's bill. But I must make myself certain of the fact: so
I asked Mr. Eric, rather roughly, what he was doing, and he retorted by
bidding me mind my own business.
'He had laid his letter on the desk, but when he had gone I walked up
straight to the window, and nearly frightened Miss Etta into a fit by
asking her what she had done with the cheque. She was grovelling on her
knees before me in a moment, calling me her dear Leah and imploring me to
shield her. I was very fierce with her at first, and was for putting it
back again, until she told me, trembling all over, that she had endorsed
it. She had copied your writing, and only an expert could have told the
difference.
'"It is too late, Leah," she kept saying; "we cannot hide it from Giles
now, and I must have the money, and you must help me to get it." And then
she whispered that I should have some of it for Bob.
'"It is a nasty bit of business, Miss Etta," I replied, for I did not
want to spare her; "it is forgery, that is what they would call it in a
court of law"; but she would not let me finish, but flung herself upon me
with a suppressed scream, and I could not shake her off. She kept saying
that she would destroy herself if I would not help her: so I turned it
over in my mind. I wanted money for Bob, and--well, sir, the devil had a
deal to do with that night's business. I had settled it all before an
hour was over. Bob would go up to London with the cheque, and cash it at
the bank: he was tall and fair, and a suit of Mr. Eric's old clothes
would make him quite the gentleman, and no one would notice the scar;
when he was safely off and you missed the cheque there would be little
trouble in casting the blame on Mr. Eric. I had taken care to place the
letter in the desk, and I had plenty of circumstantial evidence to offer.
'Well, you know the rest, sir,--how you called Miss Etta into your study,
and how she begged you to send for me. I had my story all ready,--my fear
of thieves, and how I saw Mr. Eric standing with his hand in your desk.
Of course the cheque could not be found: no one believed the poor young
gentleman's ravings, especially after his talk with Miss Gladys. We took
care that the telegram should not be sent too soon. Bob was on his way
back by then, and before evening Dryden had his money, and Bob was safe
in Clerkenwell. What is the good of my repeating it all? I shielded Miss
Etta at Mr. Eric's expense; and, though I was sorry enough to drive him
away from his home, we had to look to our own safety, and Miss Etta was
nearly out of her mind with remorse and terror.' But here Mr. Hamilton's
voice interrupted her harshly.
'Wait a moment, woman: have you ever since that day heard anything of
that unfortunate boy?'
To my surprise Leah hesitated. 'Miss Etta believes that he is dead, sir;
but I can't help differing from her, though I never told her the reason;
but I have fancied more than once,--indeed I am speaking the truth now,
sir,' as he darted a meaning look at her, 'I have no motive to do
otherwise.--I have fancied that I have seen some one very like Mr. Eric
lurking about the road on a dark night. Once I was nearly sure it was Mr.
Eric, though he wore a workman's dress as a disguise. He was looking at
the windows; the blind was up in the study, and Miss Gladys was there
with Mr. Cunliffe; he had made her laugh about something. It was a warm
night, and rather wet, and the window was open; I was just shutting it
when I caught sight of him, and nearly called out; but he turned away
quickly, and hid himself in the shrubbery, and though I went out to look
for him I was too late, for I could see him walking down the road.'
'You are sure it was Mr. Eric.' Oh, the look of intense relief on Mr.
Hamilton's face! He must have believed him dead all this time.
'I am nearly sure, sir. I saw him again in town. I was passing the Albert
Memorial when I looked up at one of the fine houses opposite, and saw a
young workman on the balcony with a painter's brush in his hand: the sun
was shining full on his face. I saw him plainly then.'
Mr. Hamilton started from his seat. 'If this be true!--my father's son
gaining his bread as a house-painter!'
'It is true,' I whispered; 'for I saw him myself, and told Gladys.'
'You saw him!--you!' with an air of utter incredulity.
'Yes; and I tried to speak to him. He was so like the picture in Gladys's
room, I thought it must be Eric. But he would not hear me, and in a
moment he was gone. The men called him Jack Poynter, and said he was a
gentleman, but no one knew where he lived. Oh, I have tried so hard to
find him for you, but he will not be found.'
'And you did not tell me of this,' very reproachfully.
'Gladys would not let me tell you,' I returned: 'we could not be sure,
and--' But he put up his hand to stop me.
'That will do,' in a tone of suppressed grief that went to my heart. 'I
will not wrong you if I can help it; no doubt you did it for the best;
you did not willingly deceive me.'
'Never! I have never deceived you, Mr. Hamilton.'
'Not intentionally. I will do you justice even now; but, oh,'--and here
he clinched his right hand, and I saw the veins on it stand out like
whip-cord,--'how I have been betrayed! Those I have trusted have brought
trouble and confusion in my household; and, good God! they are women, and
I cannot curse them.'
I saw Leah quail beneath this burst of most righteous indignation.
The blinding tears rushed to my eyes as I heard him: in spite of his
sternness, he had been so simple and so unsuspicious. He trusted people
so fully, he was so generous in his confidence, and yet the woman he
loved had played him false, and the pitiful creatures he had sheltered
under his roof had hatched this conspiracy against his peace.
'You can leave me now,' he continued harshly, turning to Leah. 'I will
not trust myself to say more to you. If you receive mercy and not justice
at my hands, it is because your confederate is even more guilty than you.
I cannot spare the one without letting the other go unpunished. To-morrow
morning, before the household is up, you and everything belonging to you
shall leave this house. If you ever set foot in Heathfield again it will
be at your own peril. Go up to your own room now and pack your boxes; I
shall take the precaution of turning the key in your door to prevent your
holding communication with any member of my household.'
'I give you my word, sir--' began Leah, turning visibly pale at the idea
of finding herself a prisoner.
'Your word!' was the disdainful reply; and then he pointed to the door.
'Go at once!' But she still lingered. There was a spark of good even in
this woman. She was unwilling to quit our presence without knowing what
was to become of her mistress.
'You will not be hard on Miss Etta, sir? She has done wrong, but she is
a poor creature, and--' But Mr. Hamilton walked to the door and threw it
open with a gesture that compelled obedience.
The next moment, however, he recoiled with a low exclamation of horror;
for there, drawn up against the wall, in a strange half-crouching
attitude, as though petrified with terror, was his miserable cousin.
I heard Leah's shocked 'Miss Etta! How could you be so mad?' And then Mr.
Hamilton put out his hand, as though to forbid approach; but with a cry
of despair Miss Darrell seemed to sink to the ground, and held him
convulsively round the knees, so that he could not free himself.
'Get up, Etta!' he said indignantly. 'It is not to me you have to kneel';
for he thought her attitude one of supplication. But I knew better. She
had not strength to stand or support herself, and I passed behind him
quickly and went to her help.
'You cannot speak to him like that, Miss Darrell. He will not hear you.'
But, though Leah assisted me, we had some difficulty in inducing her to
relax her frantic grip. And even when we placed her in a chair she seemed
as though she would sink again on the ground. She was trembling all over,
her teeth chattering; the muscles of her face worked convulsively.
'Giles, Giles,' she screamed, as he seemed about to leave her, 'you may
kill me if you like, but you shall not look at me like this.' But,
without vouchsafing her any answer, he turned to me.
'Will you wait with my cousin a moment? I will be back directly.' I
nodded assent. I knew he wished to see Leah safely in her room, but as
he closed the door Miss Darrell clutched my arm. She seemed really beside
herself.
'Where has he gone? Will he fetch the police, Miss Garston? Will they put
me in prison for it?'
'No,' I returned sternly. 'You know you are safe with him. He will not
hurt a hair of your head, because you are a woman, and his own flesh and
blood.'
'But he will banish me from his house!' she moaned. 'He will never
forgive me or let me see his face again. He will tell--oh, I cannot bear
it!'--her words strangled by a hoarse scream. 'I cannot and will not bear
it.'
I put my hand on her shoulder. 'You must control yourself,' I said
coldly. 'Would you wish Mr. Hamilton to treat you as a mad woman? Listen
to me, Miss Darrell. One part of your secret is safe with me. Try and
restrain yourself, and I will promise you that it shall never pass my
lips.'
Even in her hysterical excitement she understood me, and a more human
expression came into her hard, glaring eyes. 'Say it again; promise me,'
she moaned. 'I hate you, but I know you are to be trusted.'
'If you behave yourself and try to control your feelings a little,' I
returned slowly, 'I will say nothing about Uncle Max.' But at the name
she covered her face with her hands and rocked herself in agony. In spite
of all her sins I pitied her then.
At that moment Mr. Hamilton returned; but before he could speak I said
quickly--
'Your cousin is not in a condition to listen to you to-night, and it is
very late: I am going to take her up to her room and do what I can to
help her. Will you allow us to go?'
He looked at her and then at me. His face was hard and sombre; there was
no relenting there. 'Perhaps it will be better,' he returned slowly.
'Yes, you may go, but do not stay long with her. I may want to speak
to you again.'
'Not to-night,' I remonstrated; for I could see he was oblivious of the
time, and it was near midnight. 'To-morrow morning, as early as you like;
but I cannot come down again.'
'Oh, I see,' the meaning of my words dawning upon him. 'To-morrow
morning, then. Take her away now.' And, without another glance, he walked
away to his study table.
'Come, Miss Darrell,' I whispered, touching her; and she rose
reluctantly. 'Giles,--let me say one word to him,' said she, trying to
follow him feebly, but I recalled her sternly and made her follow me. I
had no fear of her now. Leah, whom I dreaded, was locked safely in her
room, and this poor miserable woman was harmless enough.
She broke into hysterical sobs and moans when I got her into her own
room. I was afraid Gladys might hear her, and I insisted on her showing
more self-control. My sharp words had their effect after a time, but it
was impossible to induce her to undress or go to bed. She had flung
herself across the foot and lay crouched up in a heap, with all the
delicate embroidery of her French dressing-gown crushed under her. When
she was quieter I put pillows under her head and covered her up warmly,
and then sat down to watch her.
I was about to leave the room once to fetch something I wanted, when she
suddenly struggled into a sitting posture, and begged me, in a voice of
horror, not to leave her.
'Leah will murder me if you do!' she cried. 'She has frightened me
often,--she says such things,--oh, you do not know! I should never have
been so bad but for Leah!'
'I shall not be long; and Leah is locked in her room; Mr. Hamilton has
the key,' I returned quietly. But it was with difficulty that she would
let me go. I suppose even criminals feel the need of sympathy. Miss
Darrell hated me in her heart, had always hated me, but the sight of even
an unloved human face was better than solitude. No wonder with such
thoughts people go mad sometimes.
I was surprised to see Mr. Hamilton walking up and down the long passage,
as though he were keeping guard. He was going to let me pass him without
a word, but I stopped and asked what he was doing.
'I was waiting until you were safe in your own room,' was the reply.
'What has kept you so long?'
'I must go back again,' I returned quickly; 'she is not fit to be left
alone. I am not afraid of her now, Mr. Hamilton: she can do me no harm.
Please do not watch any longer.'
'You were ill: have you forgotten that? I ought not to allow you to make
yourself worse. Why,' with a sort of impatience visible in his manner,
'need you be troubled about our miserable affairs?'
'Let me go back for a little while,' I pleaded; for I knew if he ordered
me into my own room I should be obliged to obey him. 'It keeps her in
check, seeing me there: she is so exhausted that she must sleep soon; and
then I will lie down.' I suppose he thought there was no help for it, for
he drew back for me to pass; but I was grieved to hear his footsteps for
a long time after that pacing slowly up and down, and it was more for his
sake than my own that I was glad when Miss Darrell's moans ceased, and
the more quiet regular breathing proved to me that she was asleep.
The passage was empty when I came out, and the first faint streak of dawn
was visible. It was too late then to think of going to bed. I lay down,
dressed as I was, and slept for a couple of hours; then the sunshine woke
me, and I got up and took my bath and felt refreshed.
Chatty brought me my tea early, and told me that Mr. Hamilton was walking
in the garden. 'And do you know, ma'am,' observed the girl breathlessly,
'something strange must have happened since last evening; for when I
looked out of my window before six this morning I saw master standing
before the door, and there was Leah, in her bonnet, speaking to him, and
she went off with Pierson, wheeling off her boxes on his truck. I do
believe she has really gone, ma'am, and not a creature in the house knows
it.'
'Never mind: it is not our business, Chatty; but I think I will go and
speak to your master when I have finished my tea.'
'I was to give you a message, ma'am,--that he would be glad if you could
join him in the garden as soon as you were up, as he had to go some
distance, and he wanted to tell you about it.' I put down my cup at once
when I heard this, and hurried out into the garden.
Mr. Hamilton was pacing up and down the asphalt walk as he had paced the
passage last night. He did not quicken his steps when he saw me, but
walked towards me slowly, with the gait of a man who has a load on his
mind.
'I hardly expected you so early. Have you had any rest at all?' looking
at me rather anxiously.
'Yes, thank you; I have slept for two hours. But you have not, Mr.
Hamilton'; for he was looking wretchedly worn and ill.
'Was it likely that I could sleep?' he returned impatiently. 'But I have
no time to waste. Atkinson will be round here directly with the dog-cart.
I am going off to Liverpool by the 12.10 train.'
'To Liverpool?' in unfeigned surprise.
'Yes; I have been thinking all night what is to be done about my
unfortunate cousin. She is dependent on me, and I cannot send her away
without finding her a home. That home,' pausing as though to give
emphasis to his words, 'can never be under my roof again.'
'I suppose not.'
'The sin is of too black a dye for me to bring myself to forgive her. If
I were to say that I forgive her I should lie.' And here his face became
dark again. 'She has disgraced that poor boy Eric, and driven him away
from his home; she has made Gladys's life wretched: her whole existence
must have been a tissue of deceit and treachery. How could I sleep when
I was trying to disentangle this mesh of deception and lies? how do I
know when she has been true or when wholly false?'
'I fear there has been little truth spoken to you, Mr. Hamilton.' I was
thinking of Gladys when I said that, but something in my words seemed to
strike him.
'Is there anything else I ought to know? But no, I have no time for that:
I must try and make some arrangements at once: she cannot break bread
with us again. The people I want to find are old patients of mine. I was
able to serve them once: I feel as though I have a claim on them.'
'But you will be back soon?' for I could not bear him to leave us alone.
'To-morrow morning. I will take the night train up, but I shall be
detained in London. Take care of Gladys for me, Miss Garston. Do not tell
her more than you think necessary. Do not let Etta see her, if you can
help it; but I know you will act for the best.' Then, as he looked at me,
his face softened for a moment. 'I wish I had not to leave you; but you
could send for Mr. Cunliffe.'
'Oh, there will be no need for that,' I returned hastily, for the thought
of the wretched woman upstairs would prevent me from sending for Uncle
Max. 'Come back as quickly as you can, and I will do my best for Gladys.'
'I know it. I can trust you,' he replied, very gently. 'Take care of
yourself also.' Then, as the wheels of the dog-cart sounded on the
gravel, he held out his hand to me gravely, and then turned away. A
moment afterwards I heard his voice speaking to Atkinson, and as I
entered the shrubbery Pierson was fastening the gate after them.