Cursed by a Fortune

by George Manville Fenn

  CHAPTER FORTY FOUR.

  Pierce Leigh returned home after a long weary day of watching. Fromcareful thought and balancing of the matter, he had long come to theconclusion that Claud Wilton's ideas were right, and that John Garstangknew where his cousin was. But suspicion was not certainty, and thoughhe told himself that he had no right or reason in his conduct, he couldnot refrain from spending all the time he could spare from hisprofessional work in town--work that was growing rapidly--in trying toget some news of the missing girl.

  He was more amenable now, and ready to discuss the matter with hissister, who remained Kate's champion and declared that she was surethere was some foul play in the matter; but he would not give way, andlaughed bitterly whenever Jenny aired her optimism, and said she wassure that all would end happily after all.

  "Silly child!" he said bitterly. "If Miss Wilton was the victim of foulplay--which I do not believe--she could have found some means ofcommunicating with her friends."

  "But she had no friends, Pierce," cried Jenny. "She told me so morethan once."

  "She had you."

  "Oh, I don't count, dear; I was only an acquaintance, and it had not hadtime to ripen into affection on her side. I soon began to love her, butI don't think she cared much for me."

  "Ah, it was a great mistake," sighed Leigh.

  "What was?" cried Jenny sharply.

  "Our going down to Northwood. I lost a thousand pounds by thetransaction."

  "And gained the dearest girl in the world to love."

  "Don't talk absurdly, child," said Leigh, firmly. "I beg that you willnot speak to me in that tone about Miss Wilton. Has Claud been again?"

  "I beg that you will not speak to me in that tone about Mr Wilton,"said Jenny, with a mischievous look at her brother, who glanced at hersharply.

  "Claud Wilton is not such a bad fellow after all, I begin to think. Allthat horsey caddishness will, I daresay, wear off."

  "I am sorry for the poor woman who has to rub it off," said Jenny.

  "You did not tell me if he had called."

  "Yes, he did call."

  "Jenny!"

  "I didn't ask him to call, and he did not come to see me," said the girldemurely. "He wanted you, and left his card. I put it in the surgery.I think he said he had some news of his cousin."

  "Indeed?" said Leigh, starting. "When was this?"

  "Yesterday evening. But Pierce, dear, surely it is nothing to you.Don't go interfering, and perhaps make two poor people unhappy."

  Leigh turned upon her angrily.

  "What a good little girl you would be, Jenny, if you had been bornwithout a tongue."

  "Yes," she said, "but I should not have been half a woman, Pierce,dear."

  "Did he say when he would come again?"

  "No."

  "Did he say more particularly what his news was?"

  "No, dear, and I did not ask him, knowing how particular you are aboutmy being at all intimate with him."

  He gave her an angry glance, but she ignored it.

  "Anyone else been?"

  "Yes; there was a message from Mrs Smithers, saying she hoped you woulddrop in after dinner and see her. Her daughter came--the freckly one.The buzzing in her mother's head had begun again, and Miss Smithers saysshe is sure it is the port wine, for it always comes after her motherhas been drinking port wine for a month."

  "Of course. She eats and drinks twice as much as is good for her.--Didyoung Wilton say anything about Northwood?"

  "Yes," said Jenny, carelessly. "The new doctor has got the parish work,but he isn't worked to death. Oh, by the way, there's a letter on thechimney-piece."

  Leigh rose and took it eagerly, frowning as he read it.

  "Bad news, Pierce, dear?"

  "Eh? Bad? Oh, dear no; I have to meet Dr Clifton in consultation atthree to-morrow, at Sir Montague Russell's."

  "Oh! I say, Pierce dear, how rapidly you are picking up a practice!"

  "Yes," he said, with a sigh; and then with an effort to be cheerful,"How long will dinner be?"

  "Half an hour," said Jenny, after a glance at the clock, "and then Ihope they will let you have a quiet evening. You have not been at homeonce this week."

  "Ah, yes, a quiet evening would be pleasant."

  "Thinking, Pierce dear?" said Jenny, after a pause.

  "Yes," he said dreamily, as he sat back with his eyes closed. "I can'tmake it all fit. He rarely goes to the office, I have found that out;and from what I can learn he must be living in the country. The house Isaw him go to has all the front blinds drawn down, and last time I rodeby I saw a woman at the gate, but I could not stop to question her--Ihave no right."

  "No, dear, you have no right," said Jenny, gravely. "That was only afancy of yours. But how strangely things do come to pass!"

  Leigh started, and gazed at his sister wonderingly.

  "What do you mean?" he said.

  "I was only replying to your remarks, dear, about your suspicions ofthis Mr Garstang."

  "I? My remarks?" he said, looking at her strangely. "I said nothing."

  "Why, Pierce dear, you did just now."

  "No, not a word. I was asleep when you spoke."

  "Asleep?"

  "Yes. What is there strange in that? A man must have rest, and I havebeen out for the last three nights with anxious cases. Was I talking?"

  "Yes, dear," said Jenny, rising, to go behind the chair and lay her softlittle hands upon her brother's head. "Talking about that shut-uphouse, and this Mr Garstang. I thought it was not possible, and thatit was very wild of you to take a house in this street so as to be nearand watch him, but nothing could have been better. You are getting asbusy as you used to be in Westminster. But Pierce, dear," she whisperedsoftly, "don't you think we should be happier if we were in fullconfidence with one another--as we were once?"

  "No," he said, gloomily, "I shall never be happy again."

  "You will, dear, when some day we meet Kate, and all this mystery abouther is at an end."

  "Meet Miss Wilton and her husband," he said, bitterly.

  "No, dear; if I know anything of women you will never meet Kate Wilton'shusband. Pierce, dear, I am your sister, and I have been so lonelylately, ever since we came to London. You have never quite forgiven meall that unhappy business. Don't you think you could if you tried?"

  He sat perfectly silent for a few moments, and then reached round, tookher in his arms, and kissed her long and lovingly.

  In an instant she was clinging to his neck, sobbing wildly, and he hadhard work trying to soothe her.

  But she changed again just as quickly, and laughed at him through hertears.

  "There," she cried, "now I feel ten years younger. Five minutes ago Iwas quite an old woman. But, Pierce, you will confide in me now, andmake me quite as we used to be?"

  "Yes," he said.

  She wound her arms tightly round his neck, and laid her face to his.

  "Then confess to me, dear," she whispered. "You do dearly love KateWilton?"

  He was silent for some moments, and then slowly and dreamily his wordswere breathed close to her ear.

  "Yes; and I shall never love again."

  Jenny turned up her face and kissed him, but hid it, burning, directlyafter in his breast.

  "Pierce dear," she whispered, "I have no one else to talk to like this.May I confess something now to you?"

  "Why not?" he said, gently. "Confidence for confidence."

  She was silent in turn for some time. Then she spoke almost in awhisper.

  "Will you be very angry, Pierce, if I tell you that I think I ambeginning to like Claud Wilton very much?"

  "Like--him?" he cried, scornfully.

  "I mean love him, Pierce," she said, quietly.

  "Jenny! Impossible!"

  "That's what I used to think, dear, but it is not."

  "You foolish baby, what is there in the fellow that any woman couldlove?"

  "Something I've found out, dear
."

  "In Heaven's name, what?"

  "He loves me with all his heart."

  "He has no heart."

  "You don't know him as I do, Pierce. He has, and a very warm one."

  "Has he dared to make proposals to you again?"

  "No, not a word. But he isn't like the same. It was all through you,Pierce. I made him love me, and now he looks up to me as if I weresomething he ought to worship, and--and I can't help liking him for it."

  "Oh, you must not think of it," cried Leigh.

  "That's what I've told myself hundreds of times, dear, but it will come,and--and, Pierce, dear, it's very dreadful, but we can't help it whenthe love comes. Do you think we can?"

  She slipped from him, and dashed the tears from her eyes, for her quicksenses detected a step, and the next moment a quiet-looking maid-servantannounced the dinner.

  No more was said, but the manner of sister and brother was warmer thanit had been for months; and though he made no allusions, there was ahalf-reproachful, half-mocking smile on Leigh's lips when his eyes metJenny's.

  The dinner ended, he went into their little plainly-furnisheddrawing-room to steal half-an-hour's rest before hurrying off to makethe call as requested; and he had not left the house ten minutes whenthere was a hurried ring at the bell.

  Jenny clapped her hands, and burst into a merry laugh.

  "I am glad," she cried. "No; I ought to be sorry for the poor people.But how they are finding out what a dear, clever, old fellow Pierce is!I wonder who this can be?"

  She was not kept long in doubt, for the servant came up.

  "If you please, ma'am, there's that gentleman again who called to seemaster."

  "What gentleman?" said Jenny, suddenly turning nervous--"Mr Wilton?"

  "Yes, ma'am."

  "Did you tell him your master was out?"

  "Yes, ma'am, and he said would you see him just a moment?"

  "I'll come down," said Jenny, turning very hard and stiff; and it seemedto be a different personage who descended to Leigh's consulting room,where Claud was walking up and down with his hat on.

  "Ah, Miss Leigh!" he cried, excitedly, as he half ran to her, with hishands extended.

  But Jenny did not seem to see them; only standing pokeresque, and gazingat the young fellow's hat.

  "Eh? What's the matter? Oh, I beg your pardon," he cried, catching itoff confusedly; "I'm so excited, I forgot. But I can't stop; I'll comein again by and by and see your brother. Only tell him I've found her."

  "Found Kate Wilton?" cried Jenny, dropping her formal manner andcatching him by the arm, his hand dropping upon hers directly.

  "Yes, I'm as sure as sure. I've been on the scent for some time, and Inever could be sure; but I'm about certain now, and I want your brotherto come and help me, for he has a better right than I have to be there."

  "My brother, Mr Wilton?" said Jenny, in a freezing tone.

  "Oh, I say, please don't," he whispered earnestly; "I am trying so hardto show you that I'm not such a cad as you used to think, and when youspeak to me in that way it makes me feel as if there's nothing, left todo but enlist, and get sent off to India, or the Crimea, or somewhere,to be killed out of the way."

  "Tell me quickly, where is she?"

  "I can't yet. I'm not quite sure."

  "Pah!"

  "Ah, you wait a bit, and you'll see; and if I do find her I shall bringher here."

  "Here?" cried Jenny, excitedly.

  "Yes, why not? she likes you better than anybody in the world; he likes,her, and--. Here, I can't stop. Good-bye; tell him I'll be back againas soon as I can, for find her I will to-night."

  "But Mr Wilton--Claud!"

  "Ah!" he cried excitedly, turning to her.

  "Tell me one thing."

  "Everything," he cried, wildly, "if you'll speak to me like that.Someone I thought had got her; I'm about sure now, but--I'd giveanything to stop--but I can't."

  He rushed out into the street, and Jenny returned to her room and work,trembling with a double excitement, one moment blaming herself for beingtoo free with her visitor, the next forgetting everything in the news.

  "Oh, Pierce, dear Pierce! if it is only true," she muttered, as her workdropped from her hands, and she sat hour after hour longing for herbrother's return. This was not till ten, when she was trembling withexcitement, and in momentary expectation of seeing Claud Wilton returnfirst.