CHAPTER XLII
PRINCE RUPERT'S RING
Whilst events were moving rapidly outside, time at Longdean Grange seemedto stand still. The dust and the desolation were ever there. The gloombrooded like an evil spirit. And yet it was but the calm before the stormthat was coming to banish the hoary old spectres for good.
Still, Enid felt the monotony to be as maddening as ever. There weretimes when she rebelled passionately against the solitude of the place.There were moments to her when it seemed that her mind couldn't stand thestrain much longer.
But she had hope, that blessed legacy to the sanguine and the young. Andthere were times when she would creep out and see Ruth Gates, who foundthe Rottingdean Road very convenient for cycling just now. And there wasalways the anticipation of a telephone message from Chris. Originally thetelephone had been established so that the household could be run withoutthe intrusion of tradesmen and other strangers. It had seemed a greatanomaly at the time, but now Enid blessed it every moment of the day. Andshe was, perhaps, not quite so unhappy as she deemed herself to be. Shehad her lover back again now, with his character free from everyimputation.
The sun straggled in through the dim, dusty panes; the monotonous voiceof Mrs. Henson droned in the drawing-room. It was what Williams calledone of the unhappy lady's "days." Sometimes she was quiet and reasonable,at other times the dark mood hung heavily upon her. She was pacing up anddown the drawing-room, wringing her hands and whimpering to herself. Enidhad slipped into the grounds for a little fresh air; the house oppressedher terribly to-day. The trim lawns and blazing flowerbeds were apleasant contrast to the misery and disorder of the house.
Enid passed on into the shadow of the plantation. A little farther onnearer the wall the dogs seemed to be excited about something. William'srusty voice could be heard expostulating with some intruder. By himstood a man who, though fairly well dressed, looked as if he had sleptin his garments for days. There was a dazed, puzzled, absent expressionon his face.
"You might have been killed," Williams croaked. "If you hadn't stoodstill they dogs would have pulled you to pieces. How did you get here?"
"I've lost it," the stranger muttered. "I've lost it somewhere, and Ishall have no rest till I find it."
"Well, go and look in the road," Williams suggested, smoothly."Nothing ever gets lost here. Just you hop over that wall and try yourluck outside."
Enid came forward. Evidently the intruder was no stranger to her.Williams started to explain volubly. But Enid cut him short at once.
"A most extraordinary thing has happened," she said. "It is amazingthat this man should come here of all places. Williams, this is the manVan Sneck."
"What, the chap as was wounded in the hospital, miss?"
"The same. The man is not in full possession of his senses. And ifReginald Henson finds him now it is likely to go hard with him. He mustbe taken into the house and looked after until I can communicate withsomebody I can trust. Mr. Steel, I think. He must be got back to thehospital. It is the only place where he is safe."
Van Sneck seemed to be looking on with the vacant stare of the mindless.He suffered himself to be led to the house, where he was fed like achild. It was in vain that Enid plied him with all kinds of questions.He had lost something--he would have no peace till he had found it. Thiswas the one burden of his cry. Enid crossed to the window in someperplexity. The next moment she had something else to occupy her mind.Reginald Henson was coming up the drive. Just for an instant Enid feltinclined to despair.
"Williams," she cried, "Mr. Henson is here. On no account must he see ourunfortunate visitor. He cannot possibly know that Van Sneck is here; thewhole thing is an accident. I am going down into the hall. I shallcontrive to get Mr. Henson into the drawing-room. Without delay you mustsmuggle Mr. Van Sneck into your apartments over the stable. You will beperfectly safe if you go down the back staircase. As soon as thedrawing-room door closes, go."
Williams nodded. He was essentially a man of action rather than words.With all the coolness she could summon up Enid descended to the hall.She gave a little gesture of surprise and disdain as she caught sightof Henson.
"So you came down to welcome me?" Enid said, coldly.
A sudden light of rage lit up Henson's blue eyes. He caught Enid almostroughly by the shoulders and pushed her into the drawing-room. There wassomething coming, she knew. It was a relief a minute or two later to hearWilliams's whistle as he crossed the courtyard. Henson knew nothing ofVan Sneck's presence, nor was he likely to do so now.
"You are forgetting yourself," Enid said. "How dare you touch melike that?"
"By heavens," Henson whispered, vehemently, "when I consider how I havebeen fooled by you I wonder that I do not strike the life out of you.Where is your sister?"
Enid assumed an air of puzzled surprise. She raised her eyebrows, coldly.But it needed no very brilliant intelligence to tell her that Henson haddiscovered something.
"I had only one sister," she said, "and she is--"
"Dead! Rot. No more dead than I am. A nice little scheme you had put uptogether with that scribbling ass David Steel. But Steel is going to geta lesson not to interfere in my affairs, and you are going to get onealso. Where is your sister?"
Despite his bullying triumph there was something nervous and anxiousabout the tone of the question. It was not quite like Henson to let hisadversary see that he had scored a point. But since the affair of thedogs Henson had not been quite his old self. It was easy to see that hehad found out a great deal, but he had not found out where Chris was yet.
"I know nothing," said Enid. "I shall answer no questions."
"Very well. But I shall find out. Accident put me on the trail first. AndI have been to see that man Walker. He never saw your sister after her'death,' nor did the undertaker. And I might have met my death at thefangs of that dog you put upon me. What a fool Walker was."
Enid looked up a little anxiously. Had Walker said anything about asecond opinion? Had he betrayed to Henson the fact that he had beenbacked up by Hatherly Bell? Because they had taken a deal of trouble toconceal the fact that Bell had been in the house.
"Dr. Walker should have called in another opinion," she said, mockingly.
"The man was too conceited for that, and you know it," Henson growled;"and finely you played upon his vanity."
Enid was satisfied. Walker had evidently said nothing about Bell; andHenson, though he had just come from Littimer, knew nothing about Chris.
"You have made a statement," she said, "and in reply I say nothing. Youhave chosen to assume that my sister is still alive. Well, it is a freecountry, and you are at liberty to think as you please. If we hadanything to gain by the course you suggest--"
"Anything to gain!" Henson burst out angrily.
"Everything to gain. One whom I deemed to be dead is free to follow me topry into my affairs, to rob me. That was part of Steel's precious scheme,I presume. If you and your sister and Miss Gates hadn't talked so loudlythat day in the garden I might not--"
"Have listened," said Enid, coldly. "Ears like a hare and head like acat. But you don't know everything, and you never will. You scoundrel,you creeping, crawling scoundrel! If I only dared to speak. If I caredless for the honour of this unhappy family--"
"If you could only get the ring," said Henson, with a malicioussneer. "But the ring is gone. The ruby ring lies at the bottom of theNorth Sea."
Some passionate, heedless words rose to Enid's lips, but she checkedthem. All she could do now was to watch and wait till darkness. VanSneck must be got out of the way before anything else was done. She didnot dare to use the telephone yet, though she had made up her mind toask Steel to come over and take Van Sneck away. Later on she could sendthe message.
Van Sneck had eaten a fairly good meal, so Williams said, and had falleninto a heavy sleep. There was nothing for it but to wait and watch.Dinner came in due course, with Mrs. Henson, ragged and unkempt as usual,taking no notice of Henson, who watched her furtively dur
ing the meal.Enid escaped to her own room directly afterwards, and Henson followed hishostess to the drawing-room.
Once there his manner changed entirely. His lips grew firm, his eyes werelike points of steel. Mrs. Henson was pacing the dusty floor, mutteringand crooning to herself. Henson touched her arm, at the same time holdingsome glittering object before her eyes. It was a massive ruby ring withfour black pearls on either side.
"Look here," he whispered. "Do you recognise it? Have you seen itbefore?"
A pitiful, wailing cry came from Mrs. Henson's lips. She was tremblingfrom head to foot with a strange agitation. She gazed at the ring as athirsty man in a desert might have looked on a draught of cold springwater. She stretched out her hand, but Henson drew back.
"I thought you had not forgotten it," he smiled. "It means much to you,honour, peace, happiness--your son restored to his proper place in theworld. Last time I was here I wanted money, a mere bagatelle to you. NowI want L10,000."
"No, no," Mrs. Henson cried. "You will ruin me--L10,000! What do you dowith all the money? You profess to give it all to charity. But I knowbetter. Much you give away that more may come back from it. But thatmoney you get from a credulous public. And I could expose you, ah, how Icould expose you, Reginald Henson."
"Instead of which you will let me have that L10,000."
"I cannot. You will ruin me. Have you not had enough? Give me the ring."
Henson smilingly held the gem aloft. Mrs. Henson raised her arm, with thedust rising in choking clouds around her. Then with an activityastonishing in one of her years she sprang upon Henson and tore the ringfrom his grasp. The thing was so totally unexpected from the usuallygentle lady that Henson could only gasp in astonishment.
"I have it," Mrs. Henson cried. "I have it, and I am free!"
Henson sprang towards her. With a quick, fleet step she crossed to thewindow and fled out into the night. A raging madness seemed to have comeover her again; she laughed and she cried as she sped on into the bushes,followed by Henson. In his fear and desperation the latter had quiteforgotten the dogs. He was in the midst of them, they were clusteredround himself and Mrs. Henson, before he was aware of the fact.
"Give me the ring," he said. "You can't have it yet. Some day I willrestore it to you. Be sensible. If anybody should happen to see you."Mrs. Henson merely laughed. The dogs were gambolling around her like somany kittens. They did not seem to heed Henson in the joy of herpresence. He came on again, he made a grab for her dress, but the rottenfabric parted like a cobweb in his hand. A warning grunt came from one ofthe dogs, but Henson gave no heed.
"Give it me," he hissed; "or I will tear it from you."
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