Sir Murray Gernon had expressed a desire that there should be no scene,
but his wish was of no avail, for in a few moments an excited group had
collected round his wife. Salts, vinegar, and cold water were sought
and applied; but, fortunately, one of the guests was the medical adviser
of the family.
"Bed, Sir Murray--empty house--quiet--and," he said, meaningly, "all
going well, I may be able to offer you congratulations before morning."
Half an hour after, the house was vacated by the last guest, and before
morning had dawned the tidings were borne to Sir Murray Gernon that his
lady had given birth to a daughter, but that from her ladyship's
critical state Dr Challen wished for further advice, and for a
fellow-practitioner to share the burden of his responsibility.
Messages were sent; and in the course of a few hours there was a
consultation held respecting Lady Gernon's state--a consultation over
which the medical practitioners shook their heads solemnly. The child
was healthy; but its mother still existed, that was all.
Mrs Norton was at her side, where she insisted upon staying for days,
in spite of a request from Sir Murray that she would leave; and now it
was that for the first time she heard of the loss of the jewels from
Jane Barker, who told her, with many sobs, that Gurdon had been
suspected by Sir Murray, who had sent for a constable; but after having
him searched that morning, his wages had been paid him, and he had been
discharged, "threatening horrible things."
"And oh! ma'am," whispered Jane, "you were always like my dear lady's
sister; if you should hear anything said about her, it isn't true. You
won't believe it, I'm sure."
"You know I should never believe words uttered by an angry servant,
Jane," was the reply; "and if you take my advice you will be silent."
"I would, ma'am; and I should not have said a word now, only Gurdon went
away full of such threatenings, and talked so loudly, that I was afraid
it might come to your ears without preparation, for he spoke of Captain
Norton, and--"
"Silence, woman!" exclaimed Ada, fiercely, as she caught the startled
maid by the arm. "How dare you bandy about such talk! I will not hear
another word."
Jane stopped, gazing aghast at her mistress's cousin, as, with her hands
pressed upon her bosom, she seemed to be striving to keep back the
painful emotion which oppressed her.
"Don't be angry with me, ma'am, please." Jane whispered humbly. "I
would not have spoken had I known."
Mrs Norton made her a motion to be silent; and for awhile the girl
stood watching her agitated countenance, as she strove to conquer her
emotion. She was herself unsuspicious to a degree. She had full faith
in her husband, but now thick and fast came blow after blow. She found
how calumny was at work--how Sir Murray Gernon's name was talked of in
connection with her husband's, and at last she felt that for his sake,
much as she loved her cousin, her place was at his side; for once more
in her life there came the shuddering dread of a great evil, and
obtaining from Jane a promise that if her mistress grew worse she should
be informed, she returned to the Hall.
It was evening when she reached home, to find the servant looking
excited, while, as soon as she entered the house, the sound of a loud
and angry voice reached her ear.
"Who is in the drawing-room?" she hastily inquired of the servant.
"Oh'm, I'm so glad you've come," ejaculated the girl. "It's Sir Murray
Gernon."
For a moment Ada felt as if she could not proceed. Her heart accused
her of neglecting home for the past few days, and she told herself that,
with the rumours she knew of floating around, she ought not to have
stayed away. But at last, with an effort, she hurried forward, opened
the door, and entered the room just as, with a cry of rage, Sir Murray
Gernon raised the hunting-whip he held in his hand, and struck her
husband furiously across the face.
"Dog!" he exclaimed. "I gave you the chance of meeting me as a
gentleman, and you refused, driving me to horsewhip you as the scoundrel
and thief you are. Ha!"
He paused, for Ada Norton was clinging to the arm that held the whip,
while her husband--
Was he a coward? Was that the man of whose daring she had heard in
India, performing deeds of valour that had been chronicled again and
again in the despatches sent home? She was no lover of strife, but it
was with something akin to shame that she saw her husband stand
motionless, with one hand pressed to the red weal across his face. He
was very pale, and the old scar and the new seemed to intersect one
another, the latter like a bar sinister across honourable quarterings.
He was trembling, too, but it was with a sigh of relief that she heard
him break the silence at last.
"Sir Murray Gernon," he said, in a cracked voice that she hardly knew,
"when your poor dying wife came here with you, we walked through that
window into the garden, where, in memory of our old love, she made me
swear that I would never injure you, a promise--I hardly know why--that,
though I made, I never even mentioned to my wife."
Sir Murray laughed scornfully.
"I tell you now again, in the presence of my wife here, that your
suspicions are baseless, that you wrong Lady Gernon most cruelly; and
that, but for the fact that you dared call me--a poor, but honourable
soldier--thief, your last charge is so contemptible that it would not be
worthy of an answer. Go now and try to undo the wrong you have done.
Thief! robber!" he exclaimed, excitedly. "Who was the thief of my
love--of my life? But there; I have done," he said, calmly. "I
thought," he continued, tenderly, "that hope was crushed out of my
existence; that there was to be no future for me. That day, when I cast
myself down in the churchyard with the feeling of despair heavy upon me,
it seemed as if, with one harsh blow, my life had been snapped in two.
And it was nearly so; but Heaven sent his angel to save me, and to prove
that there was hope, and rest, and happiness for me yet in this world."
Ere he had finished speaking Ada had thrown herself into his arms, and
was looking proudly in his scarred face.
"Sir Murray Gernon," he continued, after an instant's pause, "I refused
to meet you, and I have now told you the true reason for my having done
so. In this world we shall probably never meet again. Our paths lie,
as they ought, in different directions. It is fit they should. But
once more, I swear before Heaven that your base charges are false. Go,
and by honest, manly confession, try and win her back to life, and
obtain her forgiveness. Tell her that I kept my word, even to making
myself for her sake a coward in the eyes of the world."
As he ceased speaking, he turned from Sir Murray to gaze down in his
wife's face. There was a sad, despairing look in his countenance,
though, that troubled her; it was the same drawn, haggard aspect that
she had looked on years before; but as she clung to him closer and
closer, twining her arms more tightly round him, and trying to draw that
pale, scarred face to hers, the wild, scared aspect slowly faded away,
for from her eyes he seemed to draw life and hope, and at last, with a
sigh that seemed torn from his breast's utmost depths, he pressed his
lips upon her forehead, and then turned once more to confront his
accuser.
But they were alone; for, after listening with conflicting thoughts to
Norton's words, Sir Murray Gernon had slowly turned upon his heel,
leaving the room, unnoticed.
Book 1, Chapter XVII.