by L. T. Meade
faintestpossible shade of acknowledgment, and covering the precious ruby ringwith a terribly worn silk glove, walked towards the door.
Lady Ursula flung herself back on the sofa, and covered her face withher hands. Captain Valentine seemed to struggle for a moment with hisdesire to comfort her, and his sense of what his duties as a gentlemanrequired. Finally the latter feeling triumphed, and he reached the doorin time to open it, and so assisted my exit.
A moment later I was in the street. I was absolutely outside thatdetestable mansion, with the beloved little ring pressed in my warmhand.
I felt an almost childish sense of triumph and exultation; thepossession of a large sum of money could not have gratified me toanything like the same extent as did this recovery of my rightfullegacy. I felt enormously rich; I felt giddy with delight; it seemed tome impossible to walk, I must ride; the owner of such a ruby ring couldnot pace with draggled skirts those muddy streets. I hailed a hansomand desired the man to drive me to Mr Gray's chambers. I did notexactly know what I wanted to say to the old lawyer, but I was possessedby a sudden intense desire to see him, and I knew when I got into hispresence I should have something special to talk about.
Mr Gray had rooms in Bloomsbury, not a great way off from CousinGeoffrey's old house. He was in, and almost immediately on my arrival Iwas ushered into his presence.
"Miss Lindley!" he said. He came up and shook hands with me warmly."Pray sit down," he added. "Sit here, near the fire. What a cold,miserable day we are having. You are all quite well at home, I hope;how is your mother?"
"My mother is well, thank you, Mr Gray. My brother Jack has been ill,but he is better now."
"I am glad of that," replied Mr Gray. "And now, can I do anything foryou, Miss Rosamund? You know I shall be delighted."
When Mr Gray said this I suddenly knew what I had come to see him for.
"I want to go over Cousin Geoffrey's house," I said. "Have you the key,and if so, will you entrust it to me? I will promise not to injureanything."
The moment I made this request Mr Gray's face brightened, and an almosteager look came into his eyes.
"Have you any--any particular reason for wishing to see the house?" heasked.
"Oh, no," I replied. "No very special reason. Just a desire, to seethe old place once again."
The lawyer had deep-set and piercing eyes. They darted a quick glanceat me. He sighed impatiently.
"My late client was very eccentric," said Mr Gray. "Eccentric in life,more eccentric, perhaps, with regard to his last will and testament.Miss Lindley--you have no--no clue for instance--with regard to theheirs?"
"Oh no," I answered. "How could I possibly have?"
"It is my opinion," said Mr Gray, with another short, almost angrysigh, "that the heirs in question will never be found. I told my clientso. I said as much repeatedly. All that fine fortune will go to endowthe hospitals. Well, well, he would not listen to me."
"May I have the key?" I inquired in a gentle voice.
"Oh, of course, of course! But stay, you won't want it. You don'tsuppose a valuable house like that is left without caretakers. Twopolicemen take care of it, and one of them is always on the premises. Iwill give you my card, and whichever of them is in will show you overthe place."
"Oh, please, may I not go over it by myself."
"Well, child, well! I don't suppose it makes much matter what you do.I'll have to write a special letter to Dawson or Drake, whichever ofthem happens to be in. I'll write the letter, and you shall take it,and then you can moon about the old place as much as you please. By theway, my dear Miss Rosamund, I hope you have got my client's valuablering safe?" For answer I pulled off my shabby silk glove, and flashedthe gem in the old lawyer's face.
"Good gracious, you don't mean to say you wear that valuable ring everyday?"
"Not every day--by any means."
"But it is very unsafe to wear a ring like that on your finger when youare out alone. My dear child, you have not the faintest idea what thatcentre ruby is worth."
"I have some little idea," I said.
"You had much better leave it at home. Look at it constantly of course,but leave it in a safe place at home."
"Oh no, I like to wear it on my finger."
"Well, well!" The lawyer sighed, then sat down and wrote his letter.
CHAPTER NINE.
A TELEGRAM.
I took the letter in my hand, and walked to Cousin Geoffrey's house.Drake was the name of the policeman who replied to my summons. He readthe contents of Mr Gray's letter with almost lightning speed, thenmoved aside to let me pass in.
"You would rather I did not show you round, Miss Lindley?" said Drake.
"Yes," I answered, "I know the old house, I have been here before; Ishould just like to walk quietly over it by myself."
"Very well, miss; but you'll allow the wife to prepare you a cup of tea?We can get it quite handy, in the housekeeper's room next the kitchen,if so be as you object to taking it in the kitchen itself, miss."
"I don't object at all," I answered. "Thank you very much, Mr Drake, Ishould like to have a cup of tea, and I would prefer having it in thekitchen."
A pleased smile stole slowly over the man's face. He walked down-stairsin the deliberate fashion of a person who has remarkably little to do,and I commenced my tour of investigation. I said to myself--"Drake neednot hurry with that tea; I shall not want it for some time." It wasdelightful to me to be alone in this treasure-house. I could explore, Icould examine, I could pause, I could think. The furniture, thecarpets, the curtains were all full of story, and alive withassociations. I walked from room to room. My mother, had she been withme, could have put speech into all these rare treasures, could have hunga lovely legend or charm over each of those antiquated chairs andtables. Her stories would have been founded on fact, but I, too, helpedperhaps by my magical ruby ring, could weave romances as I walked along.
The rooms of the house had one peculiarity, which I had not noticed thelast time I walked over it. Set into a panel of the door of each was akind of sliding slab, which could be pushed aside with the finger, andwhich, when opened, revealed a name. I found that each room in thehouse had its own special name. This discovery excited me very much.It was not discernible to the ordinary visitor, for the little whiteslab was well hidden in the heavy oak door. But a touch, the twist of abutton would reveal it. I wondered when Cousin Geoffrey had perpetratedthis strange freak. I imagined the queer pleasure he took in naming thedifferent apartments of his lonely mansion.
After I had made this little discovery I ceased to take such a deepinterest in the furniture. My desire was, if possible, to read thetitle of each chamber. I thought what a delightful story I would haveto tell my mother by and by. I knew that she was unacquainted with thisvagary of her kinsman's.
I began at the attics, and turning slab after slab concealed so cleverlyin the doors, read the names rapidly off. Some were commonplace, somefantastic; most of the rooms were called after the colour of thedecoration, or the style of the furniture. Thus there was the Oak room,the Walnut room, the Blue room, the Gray room, the Rose room; there werealso the North room and the South room. At last I reached the beautifuloctagon room which contained the painted windows, and which had soexcited my mother's emotions.
The title of this room gave me a good deal to ponder over. It wascalled the Chamber of Myths. I stayed for a long time here. I examinedall the furniture. I studied the subjects of the painted windows. Istood on the raised dais, and leant against the old four-poster, andpressed my hand against the moth-eaten counterpane. How dusty, anddreary, and haunty it looked!
The light was fading fast, now, and the room displeased me. I left theChamber of Myths in a hurry, and went down to the kitchen to have teawith Drake and his wife. I said nothing to them about the discovery Ihad made, but when I left the house I was firmly convinced that CousinGeoffrey's eccentricity must have bordered on madness. What _did_ hemean by the
"Chamber of Myths"? What were the myths? Perhaps my mothercould tell me. I would question her the first moment I had anopportunity.
It was rather late when I went back to Hetty. I thought how pleased shewould be to see the ruby ring, how pretty she would look when she openedher eyes wide to gaze at it. How charmed and bewildered she would be ifI let her wear it for a moment on her slim third finger. Hetty hadlovely little hands. Her wedding finger would look dainty, circled withthis ruby ring. I too had small hands, but I could only get it on mysmallest finger.
The moment I got in Hetty pointed with excitement to a telegram whichlay upon the little table at her side.
"It has been here for two hours, Rose,"