My position is defined—my motives are acknowledged. The story of Marian
and the story of Laura must come next.
I shall relate both narratives, not in the words (often interrupted,
often inevitably confused) of the speakers themselves, but in the words
of the brief, plain, studiously simple abstract which I committed to
writing for my own guidance, and for the guidance of my legal adviser.
So the tangled web will be most speedily and most intelligibly unrolled.
The story of Marian begins where the narrative of the housekeeper at
Blackwater Park left off.
On Lady Glyde’s departure from her husband’s house, the fact of that
departure, and the necessary statement of the circumstances under
which it had taken place, were communicated to Miss Halcombe by the
housekeeper. It was not till some days afterwards (how many days
exactly, Mrs. Michelson, in the absence of any written memorandum on
the subject, could not undertake to say) that a letter arrived from
Madame Fosco announcing Lady Glyde’s sudden death in Count Fosco’s
house. The letter avoided mentioning dates, and left it to Mrs.
Michelson’s discretion to break the news at once to Miss Halcombe,
or to defer doing so until that lady’s health should be more firmly
established.
Having consulted Mr. Dawson (who had been himself delayed, by ill
health, in resuming his attendance at Blackwater Park), Mrs. Michelson,
by the doctor’s advice, and in the doctor’s presence, communicated the
news, either on the day when the letter was received, or on the day
after. It is not necessary to dwell here upon the effect which the
intelligence of Lady Glyde’s sudden death produced on her sister. It
is only useful to the present purpose to say that she was not able to
travel for more than three weeks afterwards. At the end of that time
she proceeded to London accompanied by the housekeeper. They parted
there—Mrs. Michelson previously informing Miss Halcombe of her address,
in case they might wish to communicate at a future period.
On parting with the housekeeper Miss Halcombe went at once to the
office of Messrs. Gilmore & Kyrle to consult with the latter gentleman
in Mr. Gilmore’s absence. She mentioned to Mr. Kyrle what she had
thought it desirable to conceal from every one else (Mrs. Michelson
included)—her suspicion of the circumstances under which Lady Glyde
was said to have met her death. Mr. Kyrle, who had previously given
friendly proof of his anxiety to serve Miss Halcombe, at once undertook
to make such inquiries as the delicate and dangerous nature of the
investigation proposed to him would permit.
To exhaust this part of the subject before going farther, it may be
mentioned that Count Fosco offered every facility to Mr. Kyrle, on
that gentleman’s stating that he was sent by Miss Halcombe to collect
such particulars as had not yet reached her of Lady Glyde’s decease.
Mr. Kyrle was placed in communication with the medical man, Mr.
Goodricke, and with the two servants. In the absence of any means of
ascertaining the exact date of Lady Glyde’s departure from Blackwater
Park, the result of the doctor’s and the servants’ evidence, and of
the volunteered statements of Count Fosco and his wife, was conclusive
to the mind of Mr. Kyrle. He could only assume that the intensity of
Miss Halcombe’s suffering, under the loss of her sister, had misled her
judgment in a most deplorable manner, and he wrote her word that the
shocking suspicion to which she had alluded in his presence was, in his
opinion, destitute of the smallest fragment of foundation in truth.
Thus the investigation by Mr. Gilmore’s partner began and ended.
Meanwhile, Miss Halcombe had returned to Limmeridge House, and had
there collected all the additional information which she was able to
obtain.
Mr. Fairlie had received his first intimation of his niece’s death
from his sister, Madame Fosco, this letter also not containing any
exact reference to dates. He had sanctioned his sister’s proposal that
the deceased lady should be laid in her mother’s grave in Limmeridge
churchyard. Count Fosco had accompanied the remains to Cumberland, and
had attended the funeral at Limmeridge, which took place on the 30th
of July. It was followed, as a mark of respect, by all the inhabitants
of the village and the neighbourhood. On the next day the inscription
(originally drawn out, it was said, by the aunt of the deceased lady,
and submitted for approval to her brother, Mr. Fairlie) was engraved on
one side of the monument over the tomb.
On the day of the funeral, and for one day after it, Count Fosco had
been received as a guest at Limmeridge House, but no interview had
taken place between Mr. Fairlie and himself, by the former gentleman’s
desire. They had communicated by writing, and through this medium Count
Fosco had made Mr. Fairlie acquainted with the details of his niece’s
last illness and death. The letter presenting this information added no
new facts to the facts already known, but one very remarkable paragraph
was contained in the postscript. It referred to Anne Catherick.