Cursed by a Fortune

by George Manville Fenn

  CHAPTER FORTY THREE.

  "Curse you! Do you hear what I say?" roared Garstang, furiously; "leavethe room!"

  "No, sir, I won't!" cried the housekeeper, as she stood sobbing andwringing her hands by Kate's side. "It's horrible; it's shameful!"

  "Silence!"

  "No, I won't be silenced now," cried the woman. "You're my master, andI've done everything you told me up to now, for I thought she was onlyholding back, and that at last she'd consent and be happy with you; butyou're not the good man I thought you were, and the poor dear knew youbetter than I did; and I wouldn't leave her now, not if I died for it--so there!"

  "Come, come," said Garstang, hurriedly; "don't be absurd, Sarah. Youare excited, and don't know what you are saying."

  "I never knew better what I was saying, sir," cried the woman,passionately. "Absurd! Oh, God forgive you--you wicked wretch! Andforgive me too for listening to you to-day. You took me by surprise,you did, and I didn't see the full meaning of it all. Oh, it'sshameful!--it's horrible! And I believe you've killed her; and we shallall be hung, and serve us right, only I hope poor Becky, who is innocentas a lamb, will get off."

  "Look here, Sarah, my good woman; you are frightened, and withoutcause."

  "Without cause? Oh, look at her--look at her! She's dying--she'sdying!"

  "Hush, you silly woman! There, I won't be cross with you; you'restartled and hysterical. Run into the dining-room and fetch the brandyfrom the cellaret."

  "No. If you want brandy, sir, fetch it yourself. I don't stir fromhere till this poor dear has come to, or lies stiff and cold."

  Garstang ground his teeth, and rushed upon the woman savagely, but shedid not shrink; and he mastered himself and took a turn or two up anddown the room before facing her again, and beginning to temporise.

  "Look here, Sarah," he said, in a low, husky voice; "I've been a goodfriend to you."

  "Yes, sir, always," said the woman, with a sob.

  "And I've made a home here for your idiot child."

  "Which she ain't an idiot at all, sir, but she ain't everybody's money;and grateful I've always been for your kindness, and you know how I'vetried to show it. Haven't I backed you up in this? Of course, youwanted to marry such a dear, sweet, young creature; but for it to cometo that! Oh! shame upon you, shame!"

  Garstang made a fierce gesture, but he controlled himself and stopped byher again.

  "Now just try and listen to me, and let me talk to you, not as my oldservant, but as my old friend, whom I have trusted in this delicateaffair, and whom I want to go on trusting to help me."

  "No, sir, no. You've broken all that, and I'll never leave the poordear--there!"

  "Will you hear me speak first?" said Garstang, making a tremendouseffort to keep down his rage.

  "Yes, sir, I'll listen," said the woman; "but I'll stop here."

  "Now, let me tell you, then--as a friend, mind--how I am situated. Itis vital to me that we should be married at once, and you must see as awoman, that for her reputation's sake, after being here with me so long,she ought to give up all opposition. Now, you see that--"

  "I'd have said `Yes' to it yesterday, sir," said the woman, firmly; "butI can't say it to-night."

  "Nonsense! I tell you it is for her benefit. I only want her to feelthat further resistance is useless. There, now, I have spoken out toyou. You see it is for the best. To-morrow or next day we shall bemarried by special license. I have made all the arrangements."

  "Then, now go and make all the arrangements for the poor dear's funeral,you bad, wicked wretch!" cried the woman passionately, as she sank onher knees and clasped Kate about the waist. "Oh, my poor dear, my poordear, he has murdered you!"

  "Silence, idiot!" cried Garstang, in a fierce whisper. "Can't you seethat she is only asleep?"

  "Asleep? Do you call this sleep? Look at her poor staring eyes. Feelher hands.--No, no, keep back. You shan't touch her."

  She turned upon him with so savage and cat-like a gesture that hestopped short with his brows rugged and his hands clenched.

  There was a few moments' pause, but the woman did not wince; andGarstang felt more than ever that he must temporise again. He burstinto a mocking laugh.

  "Oh, you silly woman," he said. "All this nonsense about a girl'sholding off for a time. You've often heard her say how she liked me.You know she came here of her own free will. And I know you feel that Imean to marry her as soon as I can persuade her to come to the church.What a storm you are making about nothing! She has taken something.Well, you consented to its being given her; and you are going as franticas if I had poisoned her."

  "I know, I know," cried the woman, "and I was a vile wretch to consentto help you."

  "Stuff and nonsense, Sarah, old friend. Now look here; suppose insteadof its being a harmless sleeping draught, it had been the effect of herdrinking an extra glass or two of champagne. Would you have gone onthen like this?"

  "It's of no use for you to talk; I know what a smooth winning tongueyou've got, as would bring a bird down out of a tree; but I know youthoroughly now; and Becky was right; you're a base man, and you didworry and worry poor dear Mr Jenour till he shot himself. You robbedhim till you'd got everything that was his, and now you've murdered thispoor darling girl."

  "That will do," cried Garstang, stung now to the quick. "If you will bea fool you must suffer for it. Now, listen to me, woman; this is myhouse, and this is my wife. She came to me, and she is mine. I havetold you that I will take her to the church. Now, go up to your room--Iam desperate now--and if you dare to make a sound or to leave it tillto-morrow morning, I'll shoot you and your girl too."

  The woman stared at him, her lips parted, and with dilated eyes.

  "You know what this place is. Not a sound can reach the outside. Youhave not a soul who would come to inquire after you, and the world wouldnever know what had become of you. Now go."

  She stood up, trembling like a leaf, fascinated by his fierce eyes, andbegan to walk slowly round to the other side of the table, sidewise, soas to keep as far from him as she could.

  "Hah!" he said, through his set teeth, "you understand me then at last.Upstairs with you at once," and as he spoke he stepped quickly to Kate'sside, dropped on one knee, and took hold of her icy hand. But he sprangto his feet, half stunned, the next moment, for with a wild cry, thewoman threw open the door as if to escape from him, but tore out thekey.

  "Becky! Becky!" she shrieked.

  "Yes, mother!" came from where the tied-up face was stretched over thebalustrade on the first floor.

  "Lock yourself in master's room, open the window, and shriek murderuntil the police come."

  "Damnation!" roared Garstang; and he rushed at and seized the woman, whoclung to one of the bookshelves, bringing it down with a crash, and ashriek came from the upper floor.

  "Stop her," roared Garstang. "There, I give in. Here, Becky, yourmother will speak to you."

  "Lock yourself in the room, but don't scream till I tell you, or hecomes," cried the woman.

  "That will do," said Garstang, savagely, and he loosed his hold, withthe result that the woman ran back to the insensible girl, and once moreclasped her in her arms.

  Garstang began to pace up and down the room, but paused at the door, toreach out and see Becky's white face and eyes displaying the white ringsround them, peering down from above.

  At the sight of him she rushed to his bedroom, and stood half inside,ready to lock herself in if he attempted to ascend.

  A wild cry from Sarah Plant took Garstang back to her side.

  "I knew it--I knew it!" she cried, bursting into a passionate fit ofsobbing; "you've killed her. Look at her, sir, look. Oh, my poor dear,my poor dear! God forgive me! What shall I do?"

  A chill of horror ran through Garstang, and he bent down over hisvictim, trembling violently now, as he raised one eyelid with hisfinger, then the other, bent lower so that his cheek was close to herlips, and then caught her hand, a
nd tried to feel her pulse.

  "No, no; she is only sleeping," he said, hoarsely.

  "Sleeping!" moaned the woman, hysterically; "do you call that sleep?"

  Garstang drew a deep breath, and his horror increased.

  "Help me to lay her on the couch," he said, huskily.

  "No, no, I'm strong enough," groaned the woman. "Oh, my poor dear--mypoor dear! he has murdered you."

  She rose quickly, and in her nervous exaltation, passed her arms roundthe helpless figure, and lifted it like a child, to bear it to thecouch, and lay it helplessly down.

  "Oh, help, help!" she groaned, in a piteous wail. "A doctor--fetch adoctor at once."

  "No, no, go for brandy--for cold water to bathe her face."

  "I don't leave her again," cried the woman, passionately; "I'd soonerdie."

  Garstang gazed down at them wildly for a few moments, and then rushedacross into the dining-room, obtained the brandy, a glass, and a carafeof water, and returned, to begin bathing Kate's temples and hands, butwithout the slightest result, save that her breathing became fainter,and the ghastly symptoms of collapse slowly increased.

  "She's going--she's going!" moaned the shuddering woman, who knelt bythe couch, holding Kate tightly as if to keep her there. "We'vepoisoned her! we've poisoned her!"

  The panic which had seized upon Garstang increased, as he gazed wildlyat his work. Strong man as he was, and accustomed to control himself,he began now to lose his head; and at last, thoroughly aghast, he caughtthe housekeeper by the shoulder and shook her.

  "Don't leave her," he said, in a husky whisper. "I'm going out."

  "What!" cried the woman, turning and catching his arm; "going to try andescape, and leave me here?"

  "No, no," he whispered; "a doctor--to fetch a doctor."

  "Yes, yes," moaned the woman; "a doctor--fetch a doctor; but it is toolate--it is too late!"

  Garstang hardly heard her words, as he bent down and took a hurried lookat Kate's face. Then hurrying to the door, he caught sight of Beckystill watching.

  "Go down and help your mother," he cried, excitedly; and unfastening thedoor, he rushed out.