While Adam had appeared in a stupor before, now his face contorted, his anguish obvious.
Arabella shook her head. “I know it is sudden, nor did I want or suspect such an honor, but…”
Diana had begun to cry, and Michelle had put her arms around her. Adam also looked ready to weep. Holmes lowered his arms abruptly. “No, madam—no. It will not do.”
A faint smile pulled at Arabella’s lips. “Who are you, sir, to judge? Who are you to attempt to run my life?”
“You have not thought this through, Lady Verr.”
Her smile abated somewhat, but the corners of her mouth still curved upward. “Have I not?”
“No, or you would realize the folly of such a union. Mr. Selton’s father threatened to cut him off entirely should he marry Miss Marsh. Adam would be penniless until his father dies, and Mr. Selton senior is only in his late forties and in very good health. He could easily live another twenty or thirty years. And do you expect Mr. Selton to be any more welcoming to you as a prospective daughter-in-law? Yes, you have a title, but your past is… questionable.”
“Questionable!” Arabella seemed genuinely outraged.
“As I say, madam, you have not thought this through. Not only would Mr. Selton cut off his son, but he would be likely to have you investigated. If you have any of the proverbial skeletons in the closet, they would come tumbling out. Do you really want your late husband’s suicide investigated further? Oh, I know you are doubtless innocent, only the victim of the ravings of a madman, but all the same, certain unpleasant allegations might come up. Better to spare yourself such an ordeal.”
Lady Verr’s smile had gradually vanished, but it returned only for an instant. “Your reputation is not without merit, Mr. Holmes.” She stared at him a long while, but she was the first to look away. “Perhaps you are right.”
She released Adam’s arm, then stepped away. “Oh, I did not want to marry him—I never wanted to marry him!—but it seemed the only way!” Her voice had risen in a great crescendo, and then she lifted one hand and sobbed loudly.
Holmes shook his head, then folded his arms again.
“For God’s sake!” I was genuinely outraged. “What are you talking about? What is this!”
She swept toward me, clutched at my arm. “He—he—forced himself upon me! He touched me—he touched me—in a most inappropriate way! What was I to do? I felt I had no other choice.” She stepped back and wept loudly.
“Adam—oh, Adam!” Diana’s cry was the real thing, not the artifice of her aunt.
He staggered and clutched at his hair. “Oh God.”
Diana broke free of Michelle and staggered down the stairs. She came up to Adam, a tall, slender figure with her arms outstretched, her hands clenched into fists. “Is this true?” She could hardly get out the words. “Is it?”
Adam could not seem to look at her. His head jerked to the side, even as he closed his eyes. “I… Oh, Diana.”
“Is it? Is it?”
Arabella sobbed. “Oh my poor dear girl, my love!” She started forward but I grabbed her by the arm.
“You leave them alone!” I snarled.
“I didn’t mean…” Adam said.
“You touched her? You touched her.”
“I didn’t know what I was doing—I swear it.”
She shook her head wildly. “Adam.”
“I didn’t hurt her—I didn’t. I couldn’t hurt a woman—I could never hurt a woman.”
“How could you!” Diana looked at the windows. “I wish I were dead! I wish…” She whirled about and ran toward the doors.
Arabella would have gone after her, but I still had hold of her arm. Michelle was behind Adam, her face ashen. “Follow her, Michelle,” Holmes said. “See that she does not harm herself. Bring her back when you have calmed her.” Michelle nodded.
“Oh let me go to her!” Arabella cried. “Oh let me console her, I who have also suffered!”
Holmes could not restrain a savage laugh. “Oh very good, madam! You might equal Sarah Bernhardt on the stage. You should have chosen the theatrical arts rather than science as a vocation.”
She tried to break free, but I am fairly strong. “Let me go, Henry! It is not like you to be such a brute.”
“Henry is behaving quite rationally. The last thing the poor girl needs is more of your histrionics. And you, Mr. Selton—what is this nonsense? How could you let yourself be so manipulated? I can smell the alcohol on your breath, but that is hardly an excuse. You who are so fearful of your manhood—how could you allow…?”
I shook my head. “No, no, Sherlock—that is not the way—nor is it fair. You know him. He has no experience, no knowledge, and she is… a master.”
Adam wiped at his right eye. Holmes shook his head. “I suppose you are right. All the same…” He drew in his breath. “Take him aside, Henry. See if you can determine what actually happened. Lady Verr and I shall stroll about the hall.”
She shook her head angrily. “I must go to her—I must.” Hamswell had stepped quietly up beside Holmes. “Hamswell, if Henry does not release me, I must ask you to force him to desist. Diana needs me, and I must find her.”
Hamswell stepped toward me, but Holmes was faster still, blocked him. “Get out of the way, Mr. Holmes. You heard her.” His big hands formed fists.
“I shall say this only once, Mr. Hamswell. Stand aside immediately and stay out of this.”
“You heard…”
Holmes had his back to me, but I saw the rapid movement of his left arm. His fist made a healthy thudding sound as it struck Hamswell square on the jaw. The big man dropped like the proverbial felled ox.
Arabella’s laugh was exasperated. “Oh, very good, Mr. Holmes. I forgot you were a pugilist. That was one detail that Watson apparently had right.”
Holmes said nothing, but stepped nearer and took Arabella by the other arm. “Yes, you and I shall take a little stroll while Henry and Mr. Selton chat, Lady Verr. Surely you would not be so uncouth as to require me to drag you away?”
She laughed again. “Certainly not, Mr. Holmes.”
“Come, then.”
He led her away, while I took Adam by the arm and walked toward the fireplace. His gait was askew, his balance off. I had not noticed the smell of alcohol, but he did seem inebriated. He coughed once, then gasped, then sobbed. We came to the fireplace, but I had to hold his arm to keep him from shuffling on.
“What happened, Adam? Tell me.”
“She will never forgive me. Never. It’s finished now, and it’s my fault.” He could hardly get the words out.
“Perhaps it is over, perhaps it is not. You and Arabella were at Whitby, weren’t you? Why did you go there in the first place?”
“A note. A note from Diana telling me to meet her there.”
“Yes?” I gave his arm a squeeze.
“She wasn’t there. She was supposed to come, but she didn’t come. Lady Verr said she would come, that she was delayed.”
“So Arabella kept you company?”
“Yes. She felt bad about Mr. Caswall. She kept thanking me for being so kind. She… she squeezed my hand. She was…”
“She was what?”
He shook his head. “I had never exactly noticed that she was beautiful before. Not like Diana, but… somehow… the same, somehow…”
“I suspect that she offered you something to drink, brandy perhaps?”
“Yes.” He stared at me. “How did you know?”
“Just a guess.”
“She said she didn’t want to drink alone. She talked about… how sad love could be… how sad to love and lose…” His breath had slowed, and he was staring into the flames. “She sat closer and touched my hand. And then…” His eyes opened wider, even as a kind of shudder worked its way up to his broad shoulders.
“She kissed you.”
He stared at me. “How could you know that!”
I smiled wearily. “Another guess.”
“I thought… I thou
ght it was only friendliness. Her mouth was so… warm. I never knew a woman’s mouth was hot, exactly, especially their tongue. Although Diana…” He shuddered again. “Then it became more than friendliness, more than… My eyes were shut, and I remembered when Diana had kissed me that way once, but I had been afraid, but I wasn’t afraid this time.” He ran his fingers back through his hair. “Oh none of this makes any sense at all!”
I smiled sadly. “Adam, it does make sense. And I suppose… it didn’t stop with kissing. Did you… keep your clothes on?”
He stepped back and stared at me in horror. “Of course I kept my clothes on!”
“But there was touching?”
He looked away again.
“Where did you touch her?”
“I—I held her, held her tightly while we were kissing.”
I hesitated. “Did she touch you?”
He moaned and looked away.
“She did, didn’t she? She touched your… trousers?”
He gave me such a look of desperation as he nodded, that I wanted to laugh at the absurdity of it all, but I could not do that to him.
“And so now I suppose… you felt you had to marry her, although I suspect that was her idea.”
He nodded. “She said we had to. After all that had happened. My intentions… were clear from what had happened. I must not… dishonor her. I didn’t know what to say, and she poured me more brandy. The brandy helped. I fell asleep on the way back in the dog-cart, and I was only half awake when we got here.” His hand shot out and seized my arm, squeezing it so tightly I winced. “Why did Diana have to be here? Why did she have to come down? Oh, whatever can I do? But tell me, Dr. Vernier—tell me!”
“Tell you what?”
“Do I have to marry Lady Verr?”
I laughed softly. “No, you do not have to marry Lady Verr.”
“I want to be a gentleman—I want to do the right thing, but I don’t want to hurt Diana.” He shook his head wildly, his eyes filling with tears. “I have already hurt her so badly.”
I grasped his arm. “Look at me, and listen very carefully.” I waited until I saw that he was calmer and attentive. “You absolutely do not have to marry Arabella. She tricked you. This was part of a plan. You have behaved foolishly, but you have no obligations toward her—none at all.”
His eyes were fixed on mine. “Is this true?”
“Yes.”
“Oh thank God—thank God. It is over with Diana, I understand that, but to be pledged to Lady Verr…” Another shudder worked its way up his spine. “Oh I do not feel well. I…” He gasped, and I stepped quickly back. He bent over, retched twice, great gasping sounds as he spewed up some dark chunky liquid onto the fire.
I shook my head. “Oh, Adam.”
“Henry—Henry!” Holmes cried.
I turned. He was in the middle of the hall, his hand still grasping Lady Verr’s arm tightly. “See what has happened to Michelle and Diana. The girl was desperate. Michelle may need your help.”
“Very well.” I nodded, then started for the doorway. I had passed Holmes when I heard something behind me. Adam was following, his walk something of a stagger, foul-smelling vomit still on his jacket and his mouth. “Where do you think you are going?”
“Diana—I have to see that she is all right.”
“You have done quite enough for one night. Stay here, and I’ll bring her back.”
He shook his head. “No, no, this is my fault—I have to help—I have to see…”
“Oh Lord.” I turned and strode away, hoping he would remain behind, but when I reached the tall front doors, which stood open, he was still following me.
The moon had risen, but the house hid it, cast a great dark shadow across the lawn. The sky was without a cloud, the stars coming out. “Michelle?” I called. I looked round, but could not see her. “They must be at the back of the house.” I started for the far end of the house, and Adam followed quietly.
When I finally rounded the corner, I could hear the sea more loudly, and the wind touched my face. I strode forward. “Michelle! Michelle!”
“Henry!” Michelle’s voice was up ahead, near the sea.
I walked faster, almost a run. The moon had risen to the east, a great white swollen orb, only a day away from full, and it glowed upon the lawn and the black sea beyond.
“Henry!” Michelle was upset. I could see her and Diana in the distance silhouetted just at the edge of the lawn near the cliffs.
“Diana?” Adam muttered softly.
I turned suddenly and grasped his arm. “Listen to me, and listen well. I want you to stay by that tree and keep your mouth absolutely shut until I tell you otherwise. You have done a great deal of harm this evening already. You do not want to make things any worse for Diana, do you?”
He shook his head dully.
“Good. Go by that yew, stay out of sight and keep quiet. All right? Promise me?”
He nodded dully. I seized his arm, took him closer to the old yew, then turned and ran toward the women. Michelle was standing a few feet back, but Diana was perched at the very edge, her back to the sea. Despite my vertigo, despite all my fears, I started for her, but she raised her hands. “No—don’t come any closer! Don’t! I shall jump—I shall just jump—I promise you!”
I stopped. Michelle was next to me. She reached out and grasped my hand, squeezed it fiercely. “Oh Henry—oh thank God you’ve come. Maybe she will listen to you.” We could hear the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks below, then the water sweeping back outward.
“Diana,” I said sternly, “what is this nonsense? Come here.”
She shook her head. “No. No. Don’t you see? I have lost everyone who is dear to me—everyone. They are all dead. Only Adam…” She made a choking sound. “And now he is lost as well. I have no reason to live, not any longer.”
“That is foolishness,” I said. “You know better. You have had a shock—we have all had a shock, but that is no reason to throw your life away. Come here. You know Michelle and I care for you. Let us help you.”
She shook her head. “No one can help me, not now.” Her red hair had half come down, and she reached up, pulled at some pin, and then the tresses all fell down round her shoulders. The wind stirred them slightly. “There is a story of my great-aunt throwing herself into the pit at the grove. I could never do that, not that, but the sea is different, and the rocks. The sea is my old friend and companion. It has sung to me all these years. It would welcome me, I know, and I would rather the fish ate me than rot in the ground like my mother and father. Far better.”
I shook my head. “Don’t talk that way! You would not say that if you had seen Evans. Don’t talk nonsense.”
She shook her head. “It isn’t nonsense.” She shuddered, and her teeth clacked slightly.
I smiled, even though I felt horrible. “Remember—remember when you were out on the terrace that afternoon. Your teeth were clacking then. You were cold. Remember?”
She laughed. “Oh yes, I remember.”
“I took you inside. I gave you my jacket. I’ll give you my jacket now.” I took a step forward.
She was shivering uncontrollably. “Would you?”
“Yes.” I took another step, even as I slipped off my jacket.
She raised her hands. “No closer! Not this time. Not this time.”
“Diana,” I moaned.
“Listen to him,” Michelle said. “He is your friend. He wants what is best for you. There’s no reason for you to die. That is stupidity, vanity, nothing more.”
“Is it?” she asked.
“Please,” I said.
We all stood silently, and I began to tremble myself. Without my jacket, the wind from the sea was freezing.
“Diana—oh Diana.” It was Adam Selton.
“That bloody idiot!” I shook my head. “He promised he would stay by the tree.”
Diana was staring past me to the left where I had heard Adam’s voice. I wondered if he might d
istract her long enough that I could make a run for her, but she was still a good ten feet away and perched on the very edge.
“You can’t hurt yourself because of me—you can’t. I couldn’t…” He sagged down onto his knees. “I know you’ll never believe me—not now—not after… But I love you so much. I know I’ve lost you—but I love you—I love you.” You could hear that he was crying. “If you die, I will die too. If you go off that cliff, I shall follow you—I swear it. And I deserve to die—I do—but you do not. You are so beautiful and so good. You must live. I can’t have killed you—I can’t. Please, Diana—please. I know you can’t forgive me—I don’t deserve your forgiveness—but promise me you’ll live—promise me that much. I don’t care what happens to me. I deserve to be miserable and alone, but you deserve to be happy. You deserve to be…” He was sobbing now. “Just say that you will live—please…”
Her eyes were fixed on him. “Adam.” His name was a long moan. I strode quickly forward and grasped her wrist. She saw me coming, but she did not try to flee. She let me lead her back, away from the cliff. She was still looking at Adam, but then she turned to me. I put my jacket round her shoulders. Her mouth twisted, and then she came into my arms and held me tightly. I felt her begin to cry again. She was so thin and slight compared to Michelle.
I sighed wearily. “Oh Lord.”
Michelle looked at me, that crooked lopsided smile pulling at her full mouth. “Well done, Henry. Well done.”
Adam was still on his knees muttering “thank God” over and over again.
“What a night,” I murmured. I hugged Diana tightly, then patted her twice on the back. “Let Michelle help you. I need to see to Adam. Get inside—you’re freezing.”
She nodded, and Michelle took her from me. I went over to Adam and extended my hand. “Get up.” He drew in a great breath, then wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand. He took my hand and let me help pull him up. He stared at me warily. “Don’t worry. I shan’t berate you for forgetting your promise and coming over here. In the end, for once you haven’t behaved so badly. It was you that she needed.”
He shook his head. “I’ve lost her. I’ve lost her.”
The White Worm Page 25