Chapter IV
VANISHED
He's a handsome lad, and one any woman might be proud to call her son,"said Hester to Bedford, the stately butler, as they lingered at the halldoor one autumn morning to watch their young lady's departure on herdaily ride.
"You are right, Mrs. Hester, he's a fine lad, and yet he seems above hisplace, though he does look the very picture of a lady's groom," repliedBedford approvingly.
So he did, as he stood holding the white pony of his little mistress,for the boy gave an air to whatever he wore and looked like a gentlemaneven in his livery. The dark-blue coat with silver buttons, the silverband about his hat, his white-topped boots and bright spurs, spotlessgloves, and tightly drawn belt were all in perfect order, all becoming,and his handsome, dark face caused many a susceptible maid to blush andsimper as they passed him. "Gentleman Paul," as the servants called him,was rather lofty and reserved among his mates, but they liked himnonetheless, for Hester had dropped hints of his story and quite alittle romance had sprung up about him. He stood leaning against thedocile creature, sunk in thought, and quite unconscious of the watchersand whisperers close by. But as Lillian appeared he woke up, attended tohis duties like a well-trained groom, and lingered over his task as ifhe liked it. Down the avenue he rode behind her, but as they turned intoa shady lane Lillian beckoned, saying, in the imperious tone habitual toher, "Ride near me. I wish to talk."
Paul obeyed, and amused her with the chat she liked till they reached ahazel copse; here he drew rein, and, leaping down, gathered a handful ofripe nuts for her.
"How nice. Let us rest a minute here, and while I eat a few, please pullsome of those flowers for Mamma. She likes a wild nosegay better thanany I can bring her from the garden."
Lillian ate her nuts till Paul came to her with a hatful of late flowersand, standing by her, held the impromptu basket while she made up abouquet to suit her taste.
"You shall have a posy, too; I like you to wear one in your buttonholeas the ladies' grooms do in the Park," said the child, settling ascarlet poppy in the blue coat.
"Thanks, Miss Lillian, I'll wear your colors with all my heart,especially today, for it is my birthday." And Paul looked up at theblooming little face with unusual softness in his keen blue eyes.
"Is it? Why, then, you're seventeen; almost a man, aren't you?"
"Yes, thank heaven," muttered the boy, half to himself.
"I wish I was as old. I shan't be in my teens till autumn. I must giveyou something, Paul, because I like you very much, and you are alwaysdoing kind things for me. What shall it be?" And the child held out herhand with a cordial look and gesture that touched the boy.
With one of the foreign fashions which sometimes appeared when he forgothimself, he kissed the small hand, saying impulsively, "My dear littlemistress, I want nothing but your goodwill--and your forgiveness," headded, under his breath.
"You have that already, Paul, and I shall find something to add to it.But what is that?" And she laid hold of a little locket which hadslipped into sight as Paul bent forward in his salute.
He thrust it back, coloring so deeply that the child observed it, andexclaimed, with a mischievous laugh, "It is your sweetheart, Paul. Iheard Bessy, my maid, tell Hester she was sure you had one because youtook no notice of them. Let me see it. Is she pretty?"
"Very pretty," answered the boy, without showing the picture.
"Do you like her very much?" questioned Lillian, getting interested inthe little romance.
"Very much," and Paul's black eyelashes fell.
"Would you die for her, as they say in the old songs?" asked the girl,melodramatically.
"Yes, Miss Lillian, or live for her, which is harder."
"Dear me, how very nice it must be to have anyone care for one so much,"said the child innocently. "I wonder if anybody ever will for me?"
"_Love comes to all soon or late, And maketh gay or sad; For every bird will find its mate, And every lass a lad,_"
sang Paul, quoting one of Hester's songs, and looking relieved thatLillian's thoughts had strayed from him. But he was mistaken.
"Shall you marry this sweetheart of yours someday?" asked Lillian,turning to him with a curious yet wistful look.
"Perhaps."
"You look as if there was no 'perhaps' about it," said the child, quickto read the kindling of the eye and the change in the voice thataccompanied the boy's reply.
"She is very young and I must wait, and while I wait many things mayhappen to part us."
"Is she a lady?"
"Yes, a wellborn, lovely little lady, and I'll marry her if I live."Paul spoke with a look of decision, and a proud lift of the head thatcontrasted curiously with the badge of servitude he wore.
Lillian felt this, and asked, with a sudden shyness coming over her,"But you are a gentleman, and so no one will mind even if you are notrich."
"How do you know what I am?" he asked quickly.
"I heard Hester tell the housekeeper that you were not what you seemed,and one day she hoped you'd get your right place again. I asked Mammaabout it, and she said she would not let me be with you so much if youwere not a fit companion for me. I was not to speak of it, but she meansto be your friend and help you by-and-by."
"Does she?"
And the boy laughed an odd, short laugh that jarred on Lillian's ear andmade her say reprovingly, "You are proud, I know, but you'll let us helpyou because we like to do it, and I have no brother to share my moneywith."
"Would you like one, or a sister?" asked Paul, looking straight into herface with his piercing eyes.
"Yes, indeed! I long for someone to be with me and love me, as Mammacan't."
"Would you be willing to share everything with another person--perhapshave to give them a great many things you like and now have all toyourself?"
"I think I should. I'm selfish, I know, because everyone pets and spoilsme, but if I loved a person dearly I'd give up anything to them. IndeedI would, Paul, pray believe me."
She spoke earnestly, and leaned on his shoulder as if to enforce herwords. The boy's arm stole around the little figure in the saddle, and abeautiful bright smile broke over his face as he answered warmly, "I dobelieve it, dear, and it makes me happy to hear you say so. Don't beafraid, I'm your equal, but I'll not forget that you are my littlemistress till I can change from groom to gentleman."
He added the last sentence as he withdrew his arm, for Lillian hadshrunk a little and blushed with surprise, not anger, at this firstbreach of respect on the part of her companion. Both were silent for amoment, Paul looking down and Lillian busy with her nosegay. She spokefirst, assuming an air of satisfaction as she surveyed her work.
"That will please Mamma, I'm sure, and make her quite forget my naughtyprank of yesterday. Do you know I offended her dreadfully by peepinginto the gold case she wears on her neck? She was asleep and I wassitting by her. In her sleep she pulled it out and said something abouta letter and Papa. I wanted to see Papa's face, for I never did, becausethe big picture of him is gone from the gallery where the others are, soI peeped into the case when she let it drop and was so disappointed tofind nothing but a key."
"A key! What sort of a key?" cried Paul in an eager tone.
"Oh, a little silver one like the key of my piano, or the black cabinet.She woke and was very angry to find me meddling."
"What did it belong to?" asked Paul.
"Her treasure box, she said, but I don't know where or what that is, andI dare not ask any more, for she forbade my speaking to her about it.Poor Mamma! I'm always troubling her in some way or other."
With a penitent sigh, Lillian tied up her flowers and handed them toPaul to carry. As she did so, the change in his face struck her.
"How grim and old you look," she exclaimed. "Have I said anything thattroubles you?"
"No, Miss Lillian. I'm only thinking."
"Then I wish you wouldn't think, for you get a great wrinkle in yourforehead, your eyes grow almost black, and y
our mouth looks fierce. Youare a very odd person, Paul; one minute as gay as any boy, and the nextas grave and stern as a man with a deal of work to do."
"I _have_ got a deal of work to do, so no wonder I look old and grim."
"What work, Paul?"
"To make my fortune and win my lady."
When Paul spoke in that tone and wore that look, Lillian felt as if theyhad changed places, and he was the master and she the servant. Shewondered over this in her childish mind, but proud and willful as shewas, she liked it, and obeyed him with unusual meekness when hesuggested that it was time to return. As he rode silently beside her,she stole covert glances at him from under her wide hat brim, andstudied his unconscious face as she had never done before. His lipsmoved now and then but uttered no audible sound, his black brows wereknit, and once his hand went to his breast as if he thought of thelittle sweetheart whose picture lay there.
He's got a trouble. I wish he'd tell me and let me help him if I can.I'll make him show me that miniature someday, for I'm interested in thatgirl, thought Lillian with a pensive sigh.
As he held his hand for her little foot in dismounting her at the halldoor, Paul seemed to have shaken off his grave mood, for he looked upand smiled at her with his blithest expression. But Lillian appeared tobe the thoughtful one now and with an air of dignity, very pretty andbecoming, thanked her young squire in a stately manner and swept intothe house, looking tall and womanly in her flowing skirts.
Paul laughed as he glanced after her and, flinging himself onto hishorse, rode away to the stables at a reckless pace, as if to work offsome emotion for which he could find no other vent.
"Here's a letter for you, lad, all the way from some place in Italy. Whodo you know there?" said Bedford, as the boy came back.
With a hasty "Thank you," Paul caught the letter and darted away to hisown room, there to tear it open and, after reading a single line, todrop into a chair as if he had received a sudden blow. Growing paler andpaler he read on, and when the letter fell from his hands he exclaimed,in a tone of despair, "How could he die at such a time!"
For an hour the boy sat thinking intently, with locked door, curtainedwindow, and several papers strewn before him. Letters, memoranda, plans,drawings, and bits of parchment, all of which he took from a smalllocked portfolio always worn about him. Over these he pored with a facein which hope, despondency, resolve, and regret alternated rapidly.Taking the locket out he examined a ring which lay in one side, and thechildish face which smiled on him from the other. His eyes filled as helocked and put it by, saying tenderly, "Dear little heart! I'll notforget or desert her whatever happens. Time must help me, and to time Imust leave my work. One more attempt and then I'm off."
* * * * *
"I'll go to bed now, Hester; but while you get my things ready I'll takea turn in the corridor. The air will refresh me."
As she spoke, Lady Trevlyn drew her wrapper about her and paced softlydown the long hall lighted only by fitful gleams of moonlight and theruddy glow of the fire. At the far end was the state chamber, never usednow, and never visited except by Hester, who occasionally went in todust and air it, and my lady, who always passed the anniversary of SirRichard's death alone there. The gallery was very dark, and she seldomwent farther than the last window in her restless walks, but as she nowapproached she was startled to see a streak of yellow light under thedoor. She kept the key herself and neither she nor Hester had been therethat day. A cold shiver passed over her for, as she looked, the shadowof a foot darkened the light for a moment and vanished as if someone hadnoiselessly passed. Obeying a sudden impulse, my lady sprang forward andtried to open the door. It was locked, but as her hand turned the silverknob a sound as if a drawer softly closed met her ear. She stooped tothe keyhole but it was dark, a key evidently being in the lock. She drewback and flew to her room, snatched the key from her dressing table,and, bidding Hester follow, returned to the hall.
"What is it, my lady?" cried the woman, alarmed at the agitation of hermistress.
"A light, a sound, a shadow in the state chamber. Come quick!" criedLady Trevlyn, adding, as she pointed to the door, "There, there, thelight shines underneath. Do you see it?"
"No, my lady, it's dark," returned Hester.
It was, but never pausing my lady thrust in the key, and to her surpriseit turned, the door flew open, and the dim, still room was before them.Hester boldly entered, and while her mistress slowly followed, shesearched the room, looking behind the tall screen by the hearth, up thewide chimney, in the great wardrobe, and under the ebony cabinet, whereall the relics of Sir Richard were kept. Nothing appeared, not even amouse, and Hester turned to my lady with an air of relief. But hermistress pointed to the bed shrouded in dark velvet hangings, andwhispered breathlessly, "You forgot to look there."
Hester had not forgotten, but in spite of her courage and good sense sheshrank a little from looking at the spot where she had last seen hermaster's dead face. She believed the light and sound to be phantoms ofmy lady's distempered fancy, and searched merely to satisfy her. Themystery of Sir Richard's death still haunted the minds of all whoremembered it, and even Hester felt a superstitious dread of that room.With a nervous laugh she looked under the bed and, drawing back theheavy curtains, said soothingly, "You see, my lady, there's nothingthere."
But the words died on her lips, for, as the pale glimmer of the candlepierced the gloom of that funeral couch, both saw a face upon thepillow: a pale face framed in dark hair and beard, with closed eyes andthe stony look the dead wear. A loud, long shriek that roused the housebroke from Lady Trevlyn as she fell senseless at the bedside, anddropping both curtain and candle Hester caught up her mistress and fledfrom the haunted room, locking the door behind her.
In a moment a dozen servants were about them, and into their astonishedears Hester poured her story while vainly trying to restore her lady.Great was the dismay and intense the unwillingness of anyone to obeywhen Hester ordered the men to search the room again, for she was thefirst to regain her self-possession.
"Where's Paul? He's the heart of a man, boy though he is," she saidangrily as the men hung back.
"He's not here. Lord! Maybe it was him a-playing tricks, though it ain'tlike him," cried Bessy, Lillian's little maid.
"No, it can't be him, for I locked him in myself. He walks in his sleepsometimes, and I was afraid he'd startle my lady. Let him sleep; thiswould only excite him and set him to marching again. Follow me, Bedfordand James, I'm not afraid of ghosts or rogues."
With a face that belied her words Hester led the way to the awful room,and flinging back the curtain resolutely looked in. The bed was empty,but on the pillow was plainly visible the mark of a head and a singlescarlet stain, as of blood. At that sight Hester turned pale and caughtthe butler's arm, whispering with a shudder, "Do you remember the nightwe put him in his coffin, the drop of blood that fell from his whitelips? Sir Richard has been here."
"Good Lord, ma'am, don't say that! We can never rest in our beds if suchthings are to happen," gasped Bedford, backing to the door.
"It's no use to look, we've found all we shall find so go your ways andtell no one of this," said the woman in a gloomy tone, and, havingassured herself that the windows were fast, Hester locked the room andordered everyone but Bedford and the housekeeper to bed. "Do you sitoutside my lady's door till morning," she said to the butler, "and you,Mrs. Price, help me to tend my poor lady, for if I'm not mistaken thisnight's work will bring on the old trouble."
Morning came, and with it a new alarm; for, though his door was fastlocked and no foothold for even a sparrow outside the window, Paul'sroom was empty, and the boy nowhere to be found.
The Mysterious Key and What It Opened Page 4