A WHISPERED SUSPICION.
Dr. West was crossing the courtyard one day, after paying his morning
visit to Lady Verner, when he was waylaid by Lionel.
"How long will my mother remain in this weak state?" he inquired.
Dr. West lifted his arched eyebrows. "It is impossible to say, Mr.
Lionel. These cases of low nervous fever are sometimes very much
protracted."
"Lady Verner's is not nervous fever," dissented Lionel.
"It approaches near to it."
"The fact is, I want to be away," said Lionel.
"There is no reason why you should not be away, if you wish it,"
rejoined the physician. "Lady Verner is not in any danger; she is sure
to recover eventually."
"I know that. At least, I hope it is sure," returned Lionel. "But, in
the state she is, I cannot reason with her, or talk to her of the
necessity of my being away. Any approach to the topic irritates her."
"I should go, and say nothing to her beforehand," observed Dr. West.
"When she found you were really off, and that there was no remedy for
it, she must perforce reconcile herself to it."
Every fond feeling within Lionel revolted at the suggestion. "We are
speaking of my mother, doctor," was his courteously-uttered rebuke.
"Well, if you would not like to do that, there's nothing for it but
patience," the doctor rejoined, as he drew open one of the iron gates.
"Lady Verner may be no better than she is now for weeks to come.
Good-day, Mr. Lionel."
Lionel paced into the house with a slow step, and went up to his
mother's chamber. She was lying on a couch by the fire, her eyes closed,
her pale features contracted as if with pain. Her maid Therese appeared
to be busy with her, and Lionel called out Decima.
"There's no improvement, I hear, Decima."
"No. But, on the other hand, there is no danger. There's nothing even
very serious, if Dr. West may be believed. Do you know, Lionel, what I
fancy he thinks?"
"What?" asked Lionel.
"That if mamma were obliged to exert and rouse herself--were like any
poor person, for instance, who cannot lie by and be nursed--she would be
well directly. And--unkind, unlike a daughter as it may seem in me to
acknowledge it--I do very much incline to the same opinion."
Lionel made no reply.
"Only Dr. West has not the candour to say so," went on Decima. "So long
as he can keep her lying here, he will do it; she is a good patient for
him. Poor mamma gives way, and he helps her to do it. I wish she would
discard him, and trust to Jan."
"You don't like Dr. West, Decima?"
"I never did," said Decima. "And I believe that, in skill, Jan is quite
equal to him. There's this much to be said of Jan, that he is sincere
and open as if he were made of glass. Jan will never keep a patient in
bed unnecessarily, or give the smallest dose more than is absolutely
requisite. Did you hear of Sir Rufus Hautley sending for Jan?"
"No."
"He is ill, it seems. And when he sent to Dr. West's, he expressly
desired that it might be Mr. Jan Verner to answer the summons. Dr. West
will not forgive that in a hurry."
"That comes of prejudice," said Lionel; "prejudice not really deserved
by Dr. West. Since the reading of the will, Sir Rufus has been bitter
against the Massingbirds; and Dr. West, as connected with them, comes in
for his share of the feeling."
"I hope he may not deserve it in any worse way than as connected with
them," returned Decima, with more acrimony than she, in her calm
gentleness, was accustomed to speak.
The significant tone struck Lionel. "What do you mean, Decima?"
Decima glanced round. They were standing at the far end of the corridor
at the window which overlooked the domains of Sir Rufus Hautley. The
doors of the several rooms were closed, and no one was about. Decima
spoke in a whisper--
"Lionel, I cannot divest myself of the opinion that--that----"
"That what?" he asked, looking at her in wonder, for she was hesitating
strangely, her manner shrinking, her voice awe-struck.
"That it was Dr. West who took the codicil."
Lionel's face flushed--partially with pain; he did not like to hear it
said, even by Decima.
"You have never suspected so much yourself?" she asked.
"Never, never. I hope I never shall suspect it. Decima, you perhaps
cannot help the thought, but you can help speaking of it."
"I did not mean to vex you. Somehow, Lionel, it is for your sake that I
seem to have taken a dislike to the Wests----"
"To take a dislike to people is no just cause for accusing them of
crime," he interrupted. "Decima, you are not like yourself to-day."
"Do you suppose that it is my dislike which caused me to suspect him.
No, Lionel. I seem to see people and their motives very clearly; and I
do honestly believe"--she dropped her voice still lower--"that Dr. West
is a man capable of almost anything. At the time when the codicil was
being searched for, I used to think and think it over, how it could
be--how it could have disappeared. All its points, all its bearings, I
deliberated upon again and again. One certain thing was, the codicil
could not have disappeared from the desk without its having been taken
out. Another point, almost equally certain to my mind, was that my Uncle
Stephen did not take it out, but died in the belief that it was _in_,
and that it would give you your inheritance. A third point was, that
whoever took it must have had some strong motive for the act. Who (with
possible access to the desk) could have had this motive, even in a
remote degree? There were but two--Dr. West and Mrs. Verner. Mrs. Verner
I judge to be incapable of anything so wrong; Dr. West I believe to be
capable of even worse than that. Hence I drew my deductions."
"Deductions which I shall never accept, and which I would advise you to
get rid of, Decima," was his answer. "My dear, never let such an
accusation cross your lips again."
"I never shall. I have told you; and that is enough. I have longed to
tell you for some time past. I did not think you would believe me."
"Believe _it_, you should say, Decima. Dr. West take the codicil! Were
I to bring myself to that belief, I think all my faith in man would go
out. You are sadly prejudiced against the Wests."
"And you in their favour," she could not help saying. "But I shall ever
be thankful for one thing--that you have escaped Sibylla."
Was he thankful for it? Scarcely, while that pained heart of his, those
coursing pulses, could beat on in this tumultuous manner at the bare
sound of her name.
In the silence that ensued--for neither felt inclined to break it--they
heard a voice in the hall below, inquiring whether Mr. Verner was
within. Lionel recognised it as Tynn's.
"For all I know he is," answered old Catherine. "I saw him a few minutes
agone in the court out there, a-talking to the doctor."
"Will you please ask if I can speak to him."
Lionel did not wait further, but descended to the hall. The butler, in
his deep mourning, had taken his seat on the bench. He rose as Lionel
approached.
"Well, Tynn, how are you? What is it?"
"My mistress has sent me to ask if you'd be so kind as come to Verner's
Pride, sir?" said Tynn, standing with his hat in his hand. "She bade me
say that she did not feel well enough, or she'd have written you a note
with the request, but she wishes particularly to see you."
"Does she wish to see me to-day?"
"As soon as ever you could get there, sir, I fancy. I am sure she meant
to-day."
"Very well, Tynn. I'll come over. How is your mistress?"
"She's very well, sir, now; but she gets worried on all sides about
things out-of-doors."
"Who worries her with those tales?" asked Lionel.
"Everybody almost does, sir, as comes a-nigh her. First it's one
complaint that's brought to the house, of things going wrong, and then
it's another complaint--and the women servants, they have not the sense
to keep it from her. My wife can't keep her tongue still upon it, and
can't see that the rest do. Might I ask how her ladyship is to-day,
sir?"
"Not any better, Tynn. Tell Mrs. Verner I will be with her almost
immediately."
Lionel lost little time in going to Vender's Pride. Turned from it as
he had been, smarting under the injustice and the pain, many a one would
have haughtily refused to re-enter it, whatever might have been the
emergency. Not so Lionel. He had chosen to quit Verner's Pride as his
residence, but he had remained entirely good friends with Mrs. Verner,
calling on her at times. Not upon her would Lionel visit his
displeasure.
It was somewhat curious that she had taken to sit in the old study of
Stephen Verner; a room which she had rarely entered during his lifetime.
Perhaps some vague impression that she was now a woman of business, or
ought to be one, that she herself was in sole charge for the absent
heir, had induced her to take up her daily sitting amidst the drawers,
bureaux, and other places which had contained Mr. Verner's papers--which
contained them still. She had, however, never yet looked at one. If
anything came up to the house, leases, deeds, other papers, she would
say: "Tynn, see to it," or "Tynn, take it over to Mr. Lionel Verner, and
ask what's to be done." Lionel never refused to say.
She was sitting back in Mr. Verner's old chair, now, filling it a great
deal better than he used to do. Lionel took her hand cordially. Every
time he saw her he thought her looking bigger and bigger. However much
she may have grieved at the time for her son John's death, it had not
taken away either her flesh or her high colour. Nothing would have
troubled Mrs. Verner permanently, unless it had been the depriving her
of her meals. Now John was gone, she cared for nothing else in life.
"It's kind of you to come, Lionel," said she. "I want to talk to you.
What will you have?--some wine?"
"Not anything," replied Lionel. "Tynn said you wished to see me for
something particular."
"And so I do. You must take the management of the estate until Fred's at
home."
The words grated on his ear, and his brow knit itself into lines. But he
answered calmly--
"I cannot do that, Mrs. Verner."
"Then what can I do?" she asked. "Here's all this great estate, nobody
to see after it, nobody to take it in charge! I'm sure I have no more
right to be teased over it than you have, Lionel."
"It is your son's."
"I asked you not to leave Verner's Pride. I asked you to take the
management of out-door things! You did so, between your uncle's death
and his burial."
"Believing that I was taking the management of what was mine," replied
Lionel.
"Why do you visit upon me the blame of all that has happened?" pursued
Mrs. Verner. "I declare that I knew nothing of what was done; I could
not believe my own ears when I heard Matiss read out the will. You
should not blame me."
"I never have blamed you for it, Mrs. Verner. I believe you to be as
innocent of blame in the matter as I am."
"Then you ought not to turn haughty and cold, and refuse to help me.
They are going to have me up before the Justice Courts at Heartburg!"
"Have you up before the Justice Courts at Heartburg!" repeated Lionel,
in great astonishment.
"It's all through Roy; I know it is. There's some stupid dispute about a
lease, and I am to be had up in evidence. Did you hear of the threat?"
"What threat?" asked he.
"Some of the men are saying they'll burn down Verner's Pride. Roy turned
them off the brick-yard, and they threaten they'll do it out of revenge.
If you would just look to things and keep Roy quiet, nothing of this
would happen."
Lionel knew that.
"Mrs. Verner," he said, "were you the owner of Verner's Pride, I would
spare no pains to help you. But I cannot act for Frederick Massingbird."
"What has Fred done to you?" she asked quickly.
"That is not the question--he has done nothing," answered Lionel,
speaking more rapidly still. "My management would--if I know anything of
him--be essentially different from your son's; different from what he
would approve. Neither would I take authority upon myself only to have
it displaced upon his return. Have Roy before you, Mrs. Verner, and
caution him."
"It does no good. I have already had him. He smoothes things over to me,
so that black looks white. Lionel, I must say that you are unkind and
obstinate."
"I do not think I am naturally either one or the other," he answered,
smiling. "Perhaps it might answer your purpose to put things into the
hands of Matiss, until your son's return."
"He won't take it," she answered. "I sent for him--what with this court
business and the threat of incendiarism, I am like one upon thorns--and
he said he would not undertake it. He seemed to fear contact with Roy."
"Were I to take the management, Mrs. Verner, my first act would be to
discharge Roy."
Mrs. Verner tried again to shake his resolution. But he was quite firm.
And, wishing her good-day, he left Verner's Pride, and bent his steps
towards the village.