The Master of the Ceremonies
Page 51
child, is her room ready?"
"Yes; Morton's room is prepared in case he came back. She will sleepthere unless--May, will you come to me?"
"Yes, yes," cried the little girlish thing, in a quick excited way."No, no; I'll be alone. Let me go now--at once."
Claire fetched and gave her a lighted candle, finding her clingingpassionately to her father, looking, as it seemed to the thoughtfulwoman, like some frightened child.
She kissed him hastily, and seemed to snatch the candle from hersister's hand.
"Good-night, Claire," she cried, holding up her face, and clingingtightly to her sister's arm.
"I am going with you, dear--as I used to in the old times," said Claire,smiling; and they left the room together.
"Without one word to me," said Denville, as he stood with clasped handsgazing at the door. "Well, why should I be surprised? What must I bein her sight? Her father! Yes, but a monster without pity--utterlyvile."
He heaved a piteous sigh, as he sank into a chair.
"No," he said to himself, "I will not influence her in any way. I willnot stir. It would be too cruel. But if--if she should lean towardshim--who knows?--women have accepted the wealth and position such as heoffers. No, I will not stir."
He sighed again, walked to the drawing-room window to see that the barwas across the shutter; and, this done, he turned hastily and gazed backinto the room that had been Lady Teigne's chamber, and as he did so thedew stood upon his forehead, for he seemed to see the bed with itsdragged curtains, the empty casket on the floor, and by it the knifethat he had picked up and hidden in his breast.
Yes, there it all was, and Claire standing gazing at him with thathorrified look of suspicion in her beautiful face, as the thought camewhich had placed an icy barrier between them ever since. Yes, there shewas, staring at him so wildly, and it was like a horrible nightmare,and--
"Father--are you ill?"
"Claire! Is it you? No, no; nothing the matter. Tired; wearied out.So long and anxious an evening. Good-night!"
She had come in to find him staring back into that room in a halfcataleptic state; and the sight of his ghastly face brought all back toher. For a few moments she could not move, but at last, by an effort,she spoke, and he seemed to be snatched back by her voice into life andaction.
"Good-night, father," she said, trembling as she read the agonies of aconscious-stricken soul in his countenance, and she was moving towardsthe door, when, with an agonised cry, he turned to her.
"Claire, my child, must it be always so?" he cried, as he clasped hishands towards her as if in prayer.
"Father!" she said, in a voice almost inaudible from emotion.
"Claire, my child," he moaned, as he sank upon his knees before her:"you do not know the burden I have to bear."
She did what she had not done for months, as she stood trembling beforehim; laid one hand upon his head, while her lips parted as if to speak,but they only quivered and no words came.
At last, with a sobbing cry, she flung herself upon his neck, and heclasped her in his arms.
"Not to me, father," she sobbed, "not to me; I am not your judge."
"No," he said softly, as he reverently kissed her brow; "you are not myjudge."
His lips parted to speak again, but he shook his head, while a sad smilecame into and brightened his countenance.
"The load is lighter, Claire," he said softly. "No, you are not myjudge. If you were you would not condemn me unheard, and I cannot--darenot speak."
He led her towards the door, and stood watching her as she passedupstairs and out of sight, turning her face to him once before sheclosed the door.
"The sweet pure angel and good genius of my home," he said softly, withbent head, and with a calmer, more restful look in his countenance hewent slowly to his own room.
All was soon dark and silent in the house so lately busy with the noiseand buzz of many guests. Five minutes had not elapsed when the door wassoftly pushed open, and a slight little figure entered, and crossed tothe window.
The noise made was very slight, as the swinging bar across the shutterswas lifted and lowered, one of the shutters folded back, the fasteningraised, and the window pushed ajar.
The figure stood in the semi-darkness in the attitude of one listening,and then drew back with a peculiar sigh as of one drawing in breath.
A couple of minutes passed, and then there was a scraping, rustlingnoise outside, the semi-darkness was deepened by a figure in thebalcony, the window was drawn outwards, and a man passed in, whispering:
"May--sweet--are you there?"
A faintly uttered sigh was the response, and quick as thought the Frenchwindow was closed, a step or two taken into the silent drawing-room, andMay Burnett was tightly clasped in the arms of the nocturnal intruder.
"My darling!"
"No, no. Now one word, and you must go," she whispered quickly. "Ihave done as I promised; now keep your word--to stay only one minute--say one word and go."
"And I will keep it," he cried, "my beautiful little love, my--Damnation!"
May started from his arms, for at that moment there was a thunderingknock at the front door, and a violent drag at the bell.
Volume Two, Chapter XVI.
FOR HER SISTER'S SAKE.
"Oh, go--go quickly," cried May excitedly. "It is my husband come back;what shall I do?"
"Stop!" cried Sir Harry. "Listen!"
"No, no; they are knocking again. My father will hear."
"But--"
"No, no, you must not stay. Go," she panted, and as she spoke, in herhurry and alarm, she pushed him towards the window.
"Confound it all!" he muttered, as he opened it softly. "Pray, pray bequick," she cried. "Oh, do--do go."
"Impossible!" he whispered back. "They would see. Hide me."
"I can't--I can't."
"You must. Somewhere here."
"No, no! You must go. Oh, what shall I do? I am lost--undone."
"Hush, little woman! Be calm," he said in a hoarse whisper. "I don'tknow much about this house. Here, I will go downstairs."
"But you cannot; the footman will see you."
"Then, curse it all, hide me upstairs," cried Sir Harry impatiently.
"My father--my sister--what shall I do!--Oh!"
That was all the visitor heard, and the faint cry that ended thesentence was drowned in a second tremendous peal at knocker and bell.
"Confound her! she's gone. May! hist!--May!--Don't leave me like this!"
He felt about for the door, but could not find it in his dread andconfusion. Only one part of the room could he make out, and that wasthe window, by which flight was impossible without being seen.
"Little wretch!" he muttered. "What a fool I am! Where is the curseddoor? There were three here somewhere. What the devil am I to do?Curse--"
He kicked against a chair, and nearly knocked it over, and then stumbledagainst a couch.
"The door must be here somewhere," he muttered. "Yes, there."
It was plain enough where the door was now, for a light shone beneathit, and the sides looked light, showing its shape, just as another pealcame from knocker and bell.
He had just time to drop down behind the sofa when the door opened, andthe Master of the Ceremonies appeared in his long dressing-gown, candlein hand, crossed the drawing-room, and, opening the farther door, wentthrough, and it swung to, leaving the intruder once more in darkness.
He started up again as he heard the rattle of locks and bolts below, andmade for the window, meaning to escape by it as soon as those who hadalarmed the house had entered.
"Curse him! Mellersh left to watch," he muttered, as voices were heardfrom below--loud and angry voices--mingled with those of remonstrance.
"I tell you we saw a man climb up and enter by the balcony," came up;and in his alarm and horror the intruder knocked over an ornament now,as he made for the door that led to the bedrooms--his last chance ofescaping unseen.
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sp; "Ah, there she is," he said beneath his breath, as the door was madevisible once more by the rays of light all round.
"Come up, then, and I will search the place," came from below.
"Don't be alarmed: I'm going to see," said a voice outside the doorleading to the upper staircase; and the next moment the door opened, andClaire, in her white dressing-gown, entered candle in hand.
"Sir Harry Payne!" she cried, as the light fell on the figure of thevisitor.
"Hush! For heaven's sake, quick! Hide me somewhere. Quick! Before itis too late."
He had caught her by the arm and laid one hand upon her lips; and as shewas trying to