LORD ELLINGHAM AND TOM RAINFORD.
Lord Ellingham and Sir Ralph Walsingham remained behind in the
apartment, where Rainford also still was.
"Sir," said the nobleman, advancing towards the highwayman, "you will
perhaps be kind enough to explain the cause of her ladyship's
emotion?—for the scream which reached our ears, and the condition in
which we found her, denote something more serious than sudden
indisposition. This gentleman, sir," added the Earl, indicating Sir
Ralph Walsingham with a glance, "is Lady Hatfield's uncle: you therefore
need not hesitate to address yourself to _him_—even should you decline
to vouchsafe an explanation to me, who am a total stranger to you."
"Yes, my lord—for I know you well by sight—we _are_ total strangers to
each other," replied Rainford in a singularly mournful tone. "And yet——"
But he stopped short, seized his hat, and was about to hasten from the
room, when the Earl caught him somewhat rudely by the arm, saying,—"Mr.
Rainford—for such I believe to be your name—we cannot part with you
thus! A lady—dear, very dear to me, and who indeed will shortly be my
wife,—dear also to Sir Ralph Walsingham, who is now present,—that lady
has been alarmed—terrified in some manner, by you; and we must insist
upon an explanation."
"My lord," returned Tom Rain in a tone of deep emotion, as he gazed with
peculiar—almost scrutinising attention upon the Earl's countenance,—"no
other man on earth would thus have dared to stop me with impunity. As
for explanations," he continued, his voice suddenly assuming a little of
its usual reckless indifference, "I have none to give."
And again he moved towards the door.
But Lord Ellingham hastened to place his back against it in a determined
manner: while Rainford, as if discouraged and daunted, fell back a few
paces.
"Mr. Rainford," exclaimed the Earl, "this matter cannot pass off thus. I
insist upon an explanation; or I shall consider it to be my duty to
detain you until Lady Hatfield be sufficiently recovered to declare the
nature of the treatment she has experienced at your hands. Moreover,
sir," added the nobleman, observing that Rainford's lip blanched and
quivered nervously, "you are to a certain degree an object of suspicion
in my eyes. A variety of circumstances have combined to prove to me that
you were implicated, to some degree, in the theft of diamonds which
lately caused so much embarrassment at the police-court."
"My lord, that business does not regard you," replied the highwayman.
"The diamonds were restored to their lawful owner; and—more than
_that_—I even ascertained from Mr. Gordon's own lips that they were paid
for, before their restoration, by one who——But let me depart, my lord, I
say!" ejaculated Tom, his manner suddenly changing from nervous
trepidation to the excitement of impatience.
"You must remain here, sir," said Arthur coldly, "until we ascertain
whether it be Lady Hatfield's pleasure that your detention should assume
a more serious aspect."
"Allow me to pass, my dear Earl," exclaimed Sir Ralph; "and I will
hasten to ascertain how my niece is now, and what her intentions are
with respect to this person."
Rainford paced the room in an agitated manner, while Lord Ellingham
afforded egress to the baronet, and then resumed his position of
sentinel with his back placed against the door.
"My lord," at length said the highwayman, advancing close up to the
Earl, and speaking in a low, oppressed tone, "you will find that her
ladyship has no complaint to make against me. Permit me to take my
departure; and again I tell you that of no other living soul would I
solicit as a favour what I would command by force."
"I cannot allow you to leave this room—at least until the return of Sir
Ralph Walsingham," answered the Earl. "Lady Hatfield must have been
insulted or menaced by you in some way——"
"I take God to witness that I neither insulted nor menaced her!"
interrupted Rainford, warmly.
"If your liberty be endangered," said the nobleman, "it is well worth a
falsehood to attempt to avert the peril."
"My God! this from _him_!" muttered Rainford bitterly to himself, as he
once more turned round to pace the room: then, at the expiration of a
minute, he said in a calmer tone, "Well, my lord—I am content to wait
until the decision of her ladyship is made known in respect to me. And
since it appears that we shall have a few moments more of each other's
society, permit me to ask,—your lordship having just now alluded to a
certain transaction at a police-court,—permit me to ask, I say, whether
you really believe that Miss Esther de Medina was innocent or guilty of
the charge imputed to her?"
"This is rather a singular question—coming from _you_, Mr. Rainford!"
exclaimed the Earl; "and before I answer it, allow me to ask whether it
was not you who left a certain letter at my house, desiring me to repair
to the police-office on that occasion?"
"I will not deny the fact, my lord," replied Rainford. "Indeed, I did
not particularly study concealment respecting it—else would I not have
afforded your lordship's servants an opportunity of describing to you
the personal appearance of the individual who left that letter. But if
your lordship entertains even the shadow of a suspicion injurious to the
character of Miss de Medina, you are wrong—you are in error!—yes—as
grievously in error as ever mistaken man could be. Besides, my lord,"
added Rainford hastily, "you are well aware that the _alibi_ which your
lordship proved was correct."
"And how knew you that Miss de Medina was with her father and myself at
Finchley on the very day, and at the very hour, when the diamonds were
alleged to have been taken?" demanded the Earl.
"It would be useless to pretend that accident gave me the information,"
answered Tom Rain. "But think not that _she_ employed _me_ as an agent
or as a messenger to obtain the intervention of your lordship——"
"Mr. Rainford," said the Earl haughtily, "I dislike the present
conversation. I have the highest opinion of Mr. de Medina, and should be
sorry to think ill of any one connected with him. But I must candidly
confess that there is so much mystery respecting the character of his
daughter—a mystery, too, existing on account of yourself, for which
reason alone do I condescend to discuss with _you_ any affair relating
to Mr. de Medina or his family——"
"Lord Ellingham," interrupted Rainford in a hasty and impetuous tone,
"Esther de Medina is the very personification of innocence and virtue!
As God is my judge, she was ignorant of my interference in her behalf on
that day when she was accused of a deed from which her pure soul would
recoil with horror:—she knew not even that I was in the court——"
"And yet you were there, Mr. Rainford," exclaimed the Earl: "for I
noticed you—although at the time I knew not who you were."
"But Miss de Medina was _not_ aware of my presence," rejoined Rainford
emphatically; "_for she does not know me by sight_!"
A smile of incredulity curled the nobleman's lip—for the oath which Mr.
de Medina had administered to his daughter, and in which her connexion
with Rainford was so emphatically mentioned, was uppermost in his mind.
But he dared not allude to that circumstance; although he would have
been truly rejoiced to receive the conviction that Esther was indeed far
different from what he was at present compelled to believe her to be.
"Your lordship said ere now," resumed Tom Rain, "that you noticed me in
the court, although at the time you knew not who I was. Those were your
words. Does your lordship now know who I am?"
"I cannot boast of a very intimate acquaintance with you or your
affairs, Mr. Rainford," returned the nobleman with a hauteur bordering
on contempt; "and what I do know of you is so little in your favour that
you see I am detaining you here on the suspicion that your visit to Lady
Hatfield was for no good purpose. In fact, the first I ever heard of you
was in reference to the charge on account of which you yourself figured
at Bow Street some short time since,—a charge of which, I am bound to
say, you were honourably acquitted, Lady Hatfield having satisfactorily
proved that you were not the person who robbed her on the highway."
"Thus far, my lord," said Rainford, "you have no just ground to speak
disparagingly of my character."
"Certainly not. But then comes the affair of the diamonds; and I do not
hesitate to inform you that Mr. Gordon related to me all the particulars
of your interview with him, when you called to restore the jewels, and
when he made you aware of the fact that Miss de Medina had already been
to pay him the full value thereof."
"Ah! Mr. Gordon was thus communicative?" observed Rainford.
"Yes—and not sparing of his aspersions against the character of Miss de
Medina," returned the Earl. "But I defended her, Mr. Rainford—I defended
her _then_——"
"And wherefore should you not defend her now, my lord?" demanded the
highwayman. "Oh! were I to reveal to you by what wondrous combination of
circumstances——But, no! I dare not. And yet, my lord," he added in an
earnest, solemn tone, "you are an upright—a generous-hearted man; and I
appeal to your good feelings—I implore you not to trust to outward
appearances. As there is a God above, Esther de Medina is innocent of
every thing—any thing that scandal or misconception may have imputed to
her. Again you smile incredulously—and yet mournfully, my lord! Ah! I
can assure you, that Esther is innocent—oh! believe her to be innocent!"
At this moment footsteps were heard approaching the door, which Lord
Ellingham accordingly opened; and Sir Ralph Walsingham re-appeared.
"How is Georgiana now?" inquired the nobleman hastily.
"My niece is ill—very ill," returned the baronet.
"Ill!" ejaculated Arthur. "Ah! villain—this is your work!" he cried,
rushing towards the highwayman.
"Keep off!" thundered Rainford: "you know not whom you would strike!"
"No—touch him not!" cried Sir Ralph, catching the Earl by the arm, and
holding him back. "I have seen my niece—Dr. Lascelles is now alone with
her: she is more composed—though very far from well;—and she begs that
this person may be allowed to depart without the slightest molestation."
"Her ladyship shall be obeyed, Sir Ralph," returned the nobleman. "Mr.
Rainford, you have heard the message that has been sent relative to
yourself."
Having thus spoken, Arthur turned aside;—for a strange misgiving—a vague
suspicion—no, not a suspicion either,—but a feeling of dissatisfaction
had stolen into his mind. If Rainford had alarmed or insulted Lady
Hatfield, wherefore should she allow him to go unpunished? Was it not
more probable that he had brought her some evil tidings? But how could
there exist any connexion, however remote or slight, between that man of
equivocal character and Georgiana Hatfield? What business could possibly
bring them together, and produce so strange—so powerful an impression
upon _her_?
All these ideas rushed to the Earl's mind in rapid and bewildering
succession; and the reader need not be astonished if we repeat that a
sentiment of dissatisfaction—almost amounting to a vague suspicion, but
of what he knew not—had suddenly taken a firm hold of his imagination.
Who was this Rainford, after all? Was he other than he seemed? Could he
be in any way connected with that narrative of the Black Mask which the
Earl supposed to have partially affected his Georgiana's mind, and which
he looked upon as the cause of that apparent fickleness or caprice which
had first led her to refuse his proffered hand? The more he involved
himself in conjecture, the deeper did he plunge into a labyrinth which
grew darker and more bewildering at every step.
When he turned round again towards the place where he had left Rainford
standing, that individual was gone; and the noblemen was alone with Sir
Ralph Walsingham.
"You have seen Georgiana?" said Arthur, advancing towards the baronet
and grasping his hand with the convulsive violence of deep emotion.
"I have, my dear Earl; and she appears as if she had received some
severe shock," was the reply.
"What, in the name of God! does all this mean?" exclaimed the nobleman,
with wildness in his tone.
"I know not—I cannot comprehend it," answered the uncle, as much
bewildered as the lover.
"But did you not question your niece? did she offer no explanation? did
she not state the cause of her emotion—that piercing scream—that
fainting—that movement of horror when she recovered?" demanded the Earl,
impatiently.
"I questioned her; but, perceiving that it only augmented her agitation,
I did not press a painful interrogatory," replied Sir Ralph. "When I
informed her that you had detained that man, whom I heard you address by
the name of Rainford, and whom I therefore supposed to have been the
person suspected of robbing my niece,—when I informed her that you had
detained him, I say, she was greatly excited, and desired me to hasten
and request you to allow him to depart immediately, as she had no cause
of complaint against him."
"Strange!—most strange!" murmured the Earl.
"Have patience, my dear Arthur," said Sir Ralph. "To-morrow Georgiana
will be better; and then she will doubtless explain——"
"To-morrow—to-morrow!" repeated the nobleman impatiently. "Oh! what
suspense—what terrible suspense! Ah! Sir Ralph, you know not how
wretchedly will pass the weary hours of this night! If I could but see
her—only for a moment! Would it be indiscreet? Dear Sir Ralph, have pity
upon me, and ask Lascelles to come and speak to me."
The baronet, who was a kind-hearted man, instantly departed to execute
this commission; and in a few minutes he returned, accompanied by the
physician.
To the latter the Earl repeated the same question which he had already
addressed to Sir Ralph Walsingham:—"What, in the name of God! does all
this mean?"
And the Doctor gave almost a similar reply:—"I know not—I cannot
understand it."
But there was less sincerity in this answer as given by Lascelles than
there was in the same response as uttered from the heart by the frank
and honest baronet:—for the physician _had_ his suspicions relative to
the mysterious connexion which now appeared to subsist between Lady
Hatfield and the individual whose visit had caused so much painful
excitement.
"That villain Rainford! I am sorry even now that I suffered him to
escape!" ejaculated the Earl, scarcely knowing how to act or speak.
"Rainford!" cried the physician. "Why, that is the name of the man who
was taken up on suspicion of having robbed her ladyship near Hounslow!"
"And that was Thomas Rainford who was here ere now!" returned Arthur,
with bitter emphasis, as if he hated the name.
"Rainford!" repeated the physician, in astonishment. "I thought that
man's name was Jameson?"
The reader will remember that such was the denomination under which the
highwayman passed when residing in South Moulton Street.
"What! do you know him?" demanded the Earl, gazing upon the doctor with
unfeigned surprise.
"I once attended a patient at his abode," was the laconic reply: for
Lascelles remembered the solemn promise which he had made to Tom Rain on
that occasion.
"And where did he live?" inquired Arthur, eagerly. "I may wish to see
that man again."
"Where he lived then, he does not live now," returned the physician;
"for he moved away the very next day after I was called in; and whither
he went to, the people of the house knew not."
"I believe him to be a man of bad character," observed Arthur hastily.
"But enough of him—at least for the present. Doctor, can I be permitted
to see Lady Hatfield for a few minutes?"
"Impossible for to-night, my dear Earl," replied the physician. "Her
ladyship is in a state of nervous agitation—feverish excitement,
indeed,—and must not be disturbed. Her maids are now with her, and she
is about to retire to rest. To-morrow, my dear Ellingham, you shall see
her—that is, provided she is more composed."
"Then must I submit to this weary night of suspense!" exclaimed the
young nobleman. "But to-morrow, Doctor, I may see her. You have promised
that I shall see her to-morrow! My visit will be somewhat early. Will it
be indiscreet if I call at eleven?"
"Call at eleven, then," returned the physician, smiling at his friend's
impatience. "But I think I ought to administer a composing draught to
you."
The Earl and Sir Ralph Walsingham shook hands with Dr. Lascelles, and
took their departure. The other guests had already gone; but the
physician remained behind to see his fair patient once more ere he
returned home.
When Lascelles found himself alone in the apartment which the young
nobleman and the baronet had just left, he fell into a train of
reflection which, like the Earl's state of mind, was strangely
characterised by perplexity. Were the Doctor's thoughts put into words,
they would assume as nearly as possible the ensuing shape:—
"Well, this is an evening of unpleasant adventure! That Jameson, or
Rainford, or whatever his name is, has brought confusion and dismay into
the house. Perplexities increase rapidly. I remember all that Ellingham
said to me the day that he called to inform me that he was the happiest
of men, and that her ladyship had accepted him. He declared then that he
knew all—that he would never allow what must be considered a misfortune
to stand in the way of his happiness—and so on. I also remember
complimenting him on his moral courage in rising superior to a common
prejudice; and then we dropped the conversation because we agreed that
it was a delicate subject. And so it was, too: a devilish delicate
subject! And I had found out the grand secret by stealth! Ah! the
effects of that opiate were powerful, and she has never suspected that I
_did_ find out the secret. But Ellingham scarcely seems to have his wits
about him; or else he _must_ suspect the object of this Rainford's
visit. It's as clear as day-light! Rainford is the man—and now he wants
to extort money from her ladyship. But Ellingham cannot put two and two
together as I can:"—and the physician rubbed his hands complacently,
little suspecting that his sapient conjecture relative to the object of
the highwayman's visit was totally wrong, as the reader is aware.—"This
Rainford is an extraordinary character; and I do believe that he really
robbed her ladyship, but that she did not dare say so in the
police-court. He has the cut of a dashing fellow who would as soon rifle
a pocket as drink a bumper of wine. Curse him, for having intruded on
the mysteries of my laboratory! Oh! if Ellingham only knew what I know
about the beautiful Esther de Medina—the charming Jewess! What deceivers
some women are! To look on Esther, one would think she was purity
itself? And yet——"
The physician's reverie was interrupted by the entrance of a female
servant, who came to inform him that Lady Hatfield had retired to her
bed, and that the Doctor might now visit her again. He accordingly
repaired to her chamber, and having prescribed some composing medicine,
took his departure, without once alluding to the incidents of the
evening; for he was anxious that Georgiana's mind should remain as free
from causes of excitement and agitation as possible.