The Rape Of Venice rb-6

by Dennis Wheatley

  After a few minutes Oiudda Gya appeared from the back of the house. Putting the tips of his fingers to his forehead, he bent almost double in a deep salaam; then he went down on his knees with the resigned look of a man who expects to be beheaded.

  "What is the meaning of this?' Roger roared. 'Where has everybody got to? What has happened? Where is the Mem-​sahib?'

  Displaying the calm of an Oriental reared to accept the gifts the gods may send one day and death the next, without revealing his feelings, Chudda Gya replied:

  'She has left you, Sahib. On Friday evening a Sahib came here. An hour later the Memsahib ordered her bags to be packed and at dusk she went away with him.'

  Chapter 16

  The Mysterious Elopement

  For a moment Roger was too stunned to answer. It was true that during the past few weeks Clarissa had become distinctly petulant about his neglect of her, and the more or less drunken state in which he rolled home from bachelor parties. But for gentleman to return from such sprees far gone in liquor was the rule rather than the exception in London as well as in Calcutta. The Prince of Wales and his brothers were frequently carried drunk to bed, and in every city it was no uncommon sight at night to see a man lying dead drunk in a gutter. Women of all classes accepted such excesses as a normal feature of male conduct; so why Clarissa should resent it more than other ladies Roger could not think.

  His neglect of her, too, had not been of an extent to justify serious complaint, as there were few husbands in Calcutta society who did not leave their wives one or two nights a week to go out to gamble, drink or be unfaithful and at least he had not been guilty of the last. Admittedly, since the arrival of Colonel Wesley and General St. Ledger, there had been a special spate of bachelor evenings, but never before had Roger left Clarissa for a whole week-​end, and before setting out for Chinsurah he had promised her he would accept no more such invitations.

  Yet on the very evening of the day he had gone up river, she had eloped. That surely meant that she must for some time have been having a secret love-​affair with someone, and had already made her plans to desert him. He could not believe it; yet the fact stared him in the face. The thing that made it so inexplicable was that they had had no open quarrel. Far from it. Even her complaints had been made more as gentle reproaches than in anger. Between his nights out, the delight they derived from one another's companionship had not lessened. On the Thursday night they had made love with mutual zest, and on the Friday morning she had seen him off with a smiling injunction to give her love to dear Mr. Hickey and to enjoy himself.

  Roger's wide experience of women had made him cynical about them. He knew that even the most stupid were capable of laying plans to ensnare a man better than most generals could plan a battle, and that their natural ability for acting was a thing to marvel at. Memories flashed into his mind of lovely, seemingly innocent faces listening, apparently with eager interest, to a husband's wearisome discourse, while their owners were, in fact, counting the minutes until they could give themselves to a lover and most people present, except the husbands, had known it. There were times when, being the lover, he had watched such little comedies with special amusement. Now, it seemed for some weeks past, he must have been the victim of just such a pretty deception, and the odds were that Calcutta society had been laughing at him behind his back.

  The shock had cleared the last fumes of wine from his brain. Just as when surprised by some sudden danger, it had become cold, swift, calculating. He wasted no time in mawkish self-​pity, or senselessly berating Chudda Gya; instead he questioned the still kneeling servant quickly and to the point. But Chudda Gya's replies threw little fresh light on the situation.

  He did not know the Sahib with whom the Memsahib had gone away; had never seen him before. The stranger sahib had arrived in a handsome palanquin; he was richly dressed but not young, of medium height, with broad shoulders and a commanding manner. He had given no name but said only that he was a friend of the Memsahib's and she would be pleased to see him. That was soon, after the siesta hour. He had been asked to wait, and the Memsahib had come downstairs to him. She had taken him through to the veranda lounge and sent for drinks. About an hour later she had gone upstairs and ordered her woman to pack for her. Meanwhile, her visitor had sent one of his people down the road out of sight, but the man had not gone far as he shortly returned with others leading pack horses. Onto these, the Memsahib's baggage had been loaded. Then, without a word to Chudda Gya or any of the other servants, who had watched these proceedings with considerable surprise, she had allowed herself to be helped into the palanquin and carried away.

  Roger had Chudda Gya bring all the other servants and questioned them in turn, but got little further. It emerged that the visitor spoke Urdu fluently, had been wearing a number of valuable jewels, and that his servants had given the impression that they went in fear of him. Clarissa had appeared calm and collected. She had not been seen or heard to laugh with her visitor; but, on the other hand, she had not cried, or shown the least sign of distress when leaving. Strangest of all, as it seemed to Roger, she had left no farewell note for him or even a message with one of her women.

  It occurred to him that they might have been bribed to give him the minimum of information and so make it more difficult for him to get on her track. Promptly, he offered any or all of them a year's wages if they would help him to solve the mystery of her disappearance; but they only shook their heads and protested that they knew nothing more. Chudda Gya even assured him that, as he had proved a kind master and the Memsahib a kind mistress, they would have risked their lives in her defence, had it appeared to them that she was being taken away against her will; but her departure had been as unforced and deliberate as if she had been setting out with him, her lord, to spend a week-​end with friends in the country.

  Clearly, no more could be learnt from them, so Roger strode out of the house, remounted his horse and set off at a canter for the city. With Hickey and the others he had come down river that afternoon by barge as far as Barangar on the outskirts of Calcutta, only then collected the mount that he had left stabled there over the week-​end. So the horse was fairly fresh, and carried him to Hickey's town residence within a quarter of an hour. The lawyer was engaged with his chief clerk, running through the major cases being handled by the firm during the current week, but at Roger's urgent request he postponed further business and had him shown in.

  As soon as they were alone, Roger asked, 'Will, am I right in counting you a friend who would not lie to me?'

  'Why yes, my dear Roger,' replied the astonished lawyer. 'But, Heavens alive, man, what's come over you? You're as white as if you'd seen a ghost.'

  'Maybe! No matter! You know more of what goes on in Calcutta than any man. No beating about the bush now! I want the name of the man who has been pursuing Clarissa these past three weeks or more,

  Hickey would have smiled, had not Roger's face been so black and threatening, As it was, he shrugged and replied quietly. 'My dear fellow, would you have me name half the bucks of the town, Mrs. Brook is the loveliest woman in it, and 'twould be against nature did not every gallant who sets eyes on her try his luck to intrigue her while you are engaged with others in more serious conversation.'

  'To the devil with that!' exclaimed Roger. 'I mean some man of parts and wealth who has been making the running with her in such a way that could not have escaped your notice.'

  'No, no.' Hickey shook his head. 'Many have tried and their endeavours have been evident enough; but all have been shortly chilled into desisting. Your sweet Clarissa does not seek to disguise the fact that your smile has the power to make her warmly human; but for all other men she is an icicle.'

  'You're wrong in that!' Roger burst out. 'Utterly wrong! On my return home I found her gone. And gone bag and baggage with some other man who came to fetch her on Friday evening.'

  Hickey came to his feet, staring at Roger in astonishment, 'You say she's left you? Damne I'd never have
believed it!'

  'It's true enough. She eloped with some wealthy nabob within a few hours of my setting out for Chinsurah; and she'd never have done that unless they had had some previous understanding. Surely you must at least have heard by rumour the name of some man with whom she has been carrying on an intrigue?'

  'I have not. That I swear to you. But why should she do this? Had you quarrelled?'

  'No; at least, no more than that she had complained somewhat of late that I've spent so many evenings away from home. Maybe I am to blame for that; though not overmuch, unless you grant a woman the right to become plaguey dictatorial.'

  'Did she not leave a letter giving her reasons for leaving you?'

  'Nay, not a thing.'

  'Then all is not lost. It may be that she is only giving you a fright to punish you for your neglect of her. When you get home again you may find her there, and learn that she spent the week-​end quite innocently with friends,'

  'I would I could think it; but I can't. In such a case she would never have removed all her belongings from the house even to her pets. No, no; some soft tongued schemer has taken advantage of her temporary disgruntlement and persuaded her to leave me for him. And once her mind's made up about a thing, nothing will turn her from it. But I'll be even with him. By the time I've done with him his body will be as full of holes as a garden sieve.'

  'Of course. Quite right,' declared the tactful Hickey, seeking to pacify his scowling visitor. 'But first we must find him. Sit down, my dear friend, and tell me all you can about this unfortunate affair.'

  With an effort Roger controlled the anger that was shaking him, sat down and gave a detailed account of all that had happened when he arrived home. As he finished Hickey said:

  ' Twould add to your distress to return there tonight; so you had best sleep here. After our week-​end I had planned a quiet evening; but if you'd prefer it, and it would take your mind off this trouble, I'll get a few cronies in to sup with us.'

  Roger shook his head. 'I'm in no mood for company; but I’ll gladly accept your offer of a bed, and I'd like to go to it early. There will be much to do tomorrow, and after a long sleep if sleep will come to me I'll be a better man to do it.'

  'That is sound sense,' Hickey agreed. 'Make yourself comfortable in the library while I see some of my people. They shall start enquiries at once and I'll be much surprised if by morning they cannot tell us the name of the man who has enticed Clarissa from you and where he has taken her.'

  In that Hickey proved over optimistic. That night, after several wretched hours of soul searching and self-​reproach, Roger had fallen into a heavy sleep. From it he woke refreshed, and came downstairs filled with impatience to set off in pursuit of Clarissa and her seducer; but to his chagrin he learned that Hickey had no definite news to give him.

  Over breakfast the lawyer made his report. His agents confirmed that Clarissa's companion was a man of wealth and evidently of some importance, as an escort of half a dozen mounted men, a second palanquin and two extra teams of bearers had been waiting not far from the house to join his palanquin and pack-​horses. He was a bulky man wearing a grey wig and, instead of riding alongside her, as a younger man would have done, he had himself carried with her in the palanquin. Only Roger's servants had seen him and, from their somewhat conflicting descriptions, Hickey could not identify anyone he knew; moreover, the trappings of the palanquin were unlike those of any belonging to a resident of Calcutta. This, and his having been accompanied by armed retainers, suggested that he had come from up country; a theory that was strengthened from the party's having crossed the Hooghly by the ferry to Ghoosery, which they would not normally have done unless they were heading away from the city. Yet this slender clue served only to deepen the mystery for, if Clarissa had had any wealthy acquaintances living up country, Roger felt sure he would have known of them, and he was positive that she had none.

  They were still puzzling over the problem when word was brought in that another of Hickey's agents was asking to see him. He went out to the man, then rejoined Roger a few minutes later with a few items of more definite information. The agent had traced the palanquin to the village of Andul, about seven miles west of Calcutta. It had passed through the village at about half past seven on the Friday evening, and the horse of one of the escort had cast a shoe; so he had remained behind there while it was being re-​shod. The village smith had taken no particular interest in the man, but he stated that the escort had been composed of Bahnas, and that, on leaving, the warrior had galloped off after the palanquin along the road that led to his own country.

  'Bahna,' Roger frowned. 'The name is vaguely familiar to me, but no more. Where is it?'

  It is a small state sandwiched between the two great ones of Bihar and Orissa, and some hundred and sixty miles from here.'

  ;Is it controlled by the Company?'

  'Yes and no,' Hickey hesitated. 'That is to say, the Company has a treaty with its Rajah by which he gave them certain trading and revenue rights in return for an alliance and our protection against the aggressive Maratha Princes. But that was in Mr. Hastings's time; today, I would not count the treaty worth the paper it is written on.'

  'Why so? Do you imply that, the present Governor's policy being peace at any price, he would not honour it?'

  'Precisely. Look what happened in the case of the Deccan .We had a similar treaty with the Rajah of Travancore. When he was attacked by Tipoo Sahib, Lord Cornwallis, who was Governor General at that time, went to his assistance. Tipoo was defeated. My Lord Cornwallis took his two sons as hostages, then pacified the whole of south and central India by guaranteeing the Nizam of Hyderabad also against attack. Two years ago Tipoo's sons were returned to him. By way of thanks, he promptly threatened to invade the Deccan. The Nizam at once appealed to Sir John Shore for assistance. Our lily-​livered Governor refused it and left him to his fate. Tipoo then sent his hordes against the Nizam, defeated him and annexed a great part of his territories. Thereafter, the Nizam put the training of his own army into the hands of Frenchmen and, in every state in India, the British name became mud. Since Sir John would not lift a finger to honour our bond with the Prince who rules over more subjects than any other in India, you may be sure that he would not involve himself in a war on behalf of a little state like Bahna.'

  'You mean, then, that the Company no longer has any influence with its Rajah?'

  'I do; even though it be on the very border of Bengal. I tell you, Roger, should the Company maintain this Bible-​punching fellow Shore in office for another five years, we are like to lose all India. Only a strong policy can keep these turbulent native Princes down. Even this youngster who is now Rajah of Bahna regards us with contempt. The old Rajah, his father, died something over a year ago. There was owing to the Company twelve lakhs of rupees on account of revenue collection and administrative services. The young Prince refused to pay and sent the Company's officials packing. Instead of taking instant action, Sir John havered for months, and it was no more than six weeks ago that he brought himself to send a regiment of sepoys up to Bahna; but, even then, their commander had orders only to remonstrate, so nothing has come of it.'

  'By God, I have it!' Roger sprang to his feet. 'I remember now the connection in which I heard of Bahna. The commander of the regiment was a man named Gunston-​Colonel George Gunston. He and I have been enemies all our lives. He would go to any length to spite me; and he knew Clarissa in Martinique. He made a set at her there and as I was married at the time I was in no situation, to spike his guns. She told me that she rated him crude in his amorous advances and liked him only for his high spirits. But who can say if she was speaking the truth? He is just the type of virile fresh-​faced bounder that appeals to many women. And you know how they'll lie about one man to please another. Perhaps matters may have gone further between them than I supposed in the short time before I had sound official reasons for ordering him out of the island. Perhaps the truth is that she regretted seeing him go. Sh
e was young and impressionable then, and must have come to think of the love she had for me as hopeless. Perforce we resumed our acquaintance with him when he arrived recently in Calcutta, and it may be that before going up country he saw her a number of times unknown to me. Perhaps they have been carrying on a secret correspondence. She could have let him know in advance that I meant to spend the week-​end with you at Chinsurah. He is a heavy thickset man and, no doubt, wore a grey wig over his red hair so that I should not recognise him from the servants' description. It must have been him; it must! Clarissa would never have gone off with some man she hardly knew.'

  As Roger ceased his furious tirade, Hickey nodded. 'I think you have hit upon it. I'll vow that had she been having an affaire with anyone in Calcutta it would have come to my ears. But the re-​appearance on the scene of a former lover, and one who has not been in the city for the past month or more, provides a logical explanation to our riddle. The fact that Colonel Gunston has been stationed up in Bahna, and that Bahna warriors were used as an escort in carrying her away, seems to clinch the matter.'

  Roger put his face in his hands and groaned. 'I would have wagered my whole fortune against Clarissa's deceiving me. That she should have done so with an oaf like Gunston fills my cup to over-​flowing.'

  Suddenly he looked up, and went on, with a menacing scowl. 'But he shall not enjoy his triumph for long. I'll see to that. Did he love her there might be some justification for his act. But I'll vow that's not the case. I know the man. He'll treat her no better than a light-​o'-love, and has pursued this scheme mainly to have the laugh of me. He'll laugh no more, though, when I confront him. By wrecking Clarissa's happiness and mine, he has signed his own death warrant.'

  'You imply that you intend to go in pursuit of them,' Hickey said. 'If so you'll need an escort. To my regret my age, and the accursed attacks which sometimes suddenly prostrate me as a result of the stone, debar me from riding with you; but I’ll have one of my people enrol a troop of good fighting men and a guide who is conversant with the road to Bahna.'