by Michael Cox
Then the man came, the tall man wiv the stick, and she gave it to im, but e had er put in the river. I knows it, true as true can be. She said e were an old friend, but I knows e werent. I ate the man wiv the stick. Ate him! Ate him! E took the paper, then e took Muvver.
A tense pause followed, as Conrad traced several more whorls on the table.
So I wants it back, miss, he said, suddenly looking up, with a pathetically imploring expression in his sad eyes. The paper, wiv er smell on it, er lovely smell. Muvver said it were violets. Thats what I wants. I fink the man wiv the stick mustve wanted it so e could give it back to Mrs Zaluski. Thats what I fink. Are you er daughter, miss? You can get it for me if you are, though you dont have er name. Whys that? Or you can get me another paper, if it smells the same. It as to smell the same. Say you will, miss!
He sat back and closed his eyes, as if it had cost him great effort to speak so many words.
Conrad, look at me. Will you do that for me?
He slowly did as I had asked. I saw then what beautiful eyes he had. They were of the softest, deepest brown, like Mr Randolphs, with long dark lashes, and gave out such a depth of sad longing that tears began to form in my own.
Im not her daughter, Conrad, I said, and I dont know where your paper is. But if it can be found, then Im sure you can have it back.
Fank you, miss, he said. But now I dont know who you are. Why is everyfink a puzzle to me?
Another pause, during which the sergeant finished composing his notes, and replaced the little leather note-book in the pocket of his cape.
One more question, Conrad, I said as I was about to go. You said that your mother went to meet the man who took your paper on your birthday. When was that? Do you know the date?
Sergeant Swann hurriedly took out his note-book once more.
Fifteen days after September starts, said Conrad, with a most touchingly confident air. I allus remember that. Muvver used to tell me when I should start counting, for I can count all the way to fifty, though I dont know my letters.
And was this birthday the last one you had?
He gave me one of his assenting nods.
And just tell me again, Conrad. I gave him an encouraging smile. Whom did your mother give the paper to?
Ive told you, he said, turning his face towards the window as he spoke. The tall man wiv the stick. And a big moustache.
SERGEANT SWANN CLOSED his note-book for a second time.
I think thats all we can do here, he said, standing up and patting down his bowler hat on his head. If you agree, miss, well all get a cab back to Grosvenor Square, and then our friend and I will go on to the Department, for a few private words. I think you said you wont need me any more today?
Thats correct, sergeant. I shall be attending Lady Tansor for the rest of the day.
Very well, then. Come along now, Conrad. The inspector would like to see you. You remember the inspector, dont you?
Conrad nodded.
We left the hotel, and a cab was soon found to take me back to Grosvenor Square.
The door was opened to my knock by Charlie.
Good-morning, miss, he said, standing to attention, and saluting me.
Then I saw him glance outside, at the faces of Sergeant Whiffen Swann and Conrad Kraus looking out of the cab window.
Not a word, Charlie, I whispered, as I hurried past him.
Not a word, miss, he replied, closing the door.
II
The One-Armed Soldier
HALF AN HOUR later, unobserved, I left Grosvenor Square once more, this time to walk to Mrs Ridpaths house in Devonshire Street.
Of course I should have told the sergeant where I was going; but I had had enough of Sergeant Whiffen Swann for one day, and this was my own private business, which I did not care to have reported back to Inspector Gully, and thence to Mr Wraxall.
On arriving in Devonshire Street, I found that I was fifteen minutes before my time, but, feeling somewhat wearied, I knocked on the black front door all the same.
The maid admitted me, took my coat and umbrella, and conducted me up to the drawing-room.
As she was about to announce my arrival, the girl turned to me.
Shes expecting you, miss, she whispered, but the gentlemans still here.
Gentleman?
He wouldnt give his name, miss.
So saying, she tapped softly on the door, and we entered.
Her face a sudden picture of confusion, Mrs Ridpath stared across the room at me from a chaise-longue by the fire. Her visitor was sitting with his back towards me.
Tall and broad-backed, with a magnificent head of thick, golden-hued hair that curled around the nape of his muscular neck, he was in the process of raising a glass of cordial to his lips with his left hand. The empty right-hand sleeve of his tweed Norfolk jacket hung over the arm of the chair.
Esperanza, my dear! exclaimed Mrs Ridpath, clearly still flustered by my arrival. Youre a little early, I think?
She walked across to kiss me on the cheek and shepherded me over to join her on the chaise-longue. As I sat down, I was able, for the first time, to look her visitor in the face.
And what an impressively handsome face it was, exactly like ones notion of some great Saxon king, or sea-roving Viking warrior: weathered, clean-shaven, with the striking exception of a magnificent moustache, the ends of which drooped down almost to his chin; and having a pair of the most delicately pale blue eyes I had ever seen.
My dear, may I introduce Captain
Willoughby, the gentleman broke in, getting up to shake my hand. John Willoughby.
There was no doubt now: he had only one arm; and this instantly brought to mind the man I had seen on the bridge over the Evenbrook, on the day my Lady had driven out in the barouche with Mr Armitage Vyse.
Yes, said Mrs Ridpath, appearing strangely disinclined to meet my questioning eye. Captain John Willoughby. And this John is Miss Esperanza Gorst, of whom youve often heard me speak.
Delighted and honoured to meet you, Miss Gorst, said Captain Willoughby, releasing my hand and taking his seat again.
There followed an embarrassing period of shuffling silence, during which Captain Willoughby tapped the fingers of his remaining hand on the arm of the chair, and Mrs Ridpath smiled fixedly in the most abashed and self-conscious manner.
Eventually, a few words were spoken on the subject of the recent snow, and on various other trifling matters. At last I could stand no more.
I believe I know you, sir, I said, giving Captain Willoughby the boldest look I could.
I dont think thats possible, my dear, Mrs Ridpath began, but she was prevented from saying any more by Captain Willoughby.
No, Lizzie, he said, Miss Gorst is right. I believe she does know me at least by sight and so deserves to know a little more about me.
As you wish, said Mrs Ridpath, folding her hands in her lap with every appearance of unwilling resignation.
Thats the thing, Lizzie. Doesnt do to deny what cant be denied, you know. Well, Miss Gorst, youve seen, but not met, me before thats true; and so Ill lay it out to you, as plainly as I can, for Im a plain man, and cant do it any other way.
He gave a preliminary cough, crossed his legs, and sat back in his chair.
What you must know about me is this. I am I beg your pardon, was one of your fathers oldest friends. Different in every possible way, of course, him and me I dare say that no two fellows were ever more so. I was once accounted a pretty good sportsman, and could ride any Leicestershire man ragged, before the Russians blew my arm off; but your esteemed pa could hardly get on a horse without straight away falling off. Still, we were chums from the start, and the best of chums we stayed, even when circumstances ke
pt us apart.
And where did you meet my father, Captain Willoughby? I asked.
Ah, at school. Eton. He was in College, of course a Kings Scholar. We Oppidans lodged in houses in the town, but I hit it off with him from the start, and soon he was taking breakfast with me in the house, and keeping some of his things in my room Long Chamber, where they put the Scholars, being a pretty inhospitable place. I was put somewhat in mind of it at Scutari. *
Well, your pa was as clever as they come cleverer. Deuced if I know how he kept it all in his head. The learned boy, thats what we all called him when he came to the school. There never was anyone like him an absolute demon at his lessons. His masters could hardly keep up with him, let alone the rest of us. I was the most confounded dunce always had been; but that didnt matter to Glyver.
Glyver? That was the name you knew him by?
At school, yes. Edward Glyver.
Not Glapthorn?
No, not then, said Captain Willoughby, after a moments consideration. That came later, when he lived here I mean in London.
You must also have known Phoebus Daunt at school, then? I observed.
Captain Willoughby uncrossed his legs, and took out his pipe.
Mind if I smoke, Miss Gorst? he asked.
Not at all.
Several more moments passed as he reached into his jacket pocket for a pouch of tobacco, dexterously filled his pipe with his remaining hand, and set a match to the bowl. Then he sat back again in his chair, puffing out a blue-grey cloud of sweet-smelling smoke.
What were we saying? he asked.
Phoebus Daunt, I replied. I remarked that you must also have known him, at school.
Slightly.
It was abundantly apparent that the captain had no intention of saying any more on the subject; and so, instead of pressing him further, I put another question to him.
Captain Willoughby, are you the friend at Evenwood that Madame de lOrme told me about?
To this enquiry he gave an immediate answer.
You may consider me so.
The person with whom I should communicate, by placing two lighted candles in my window, should I ever need assistance?
Again, you may consider me to be that person.
And how did this arrangement come about?
He blew out another plume of smoke.
Thats easily told, he said, and Im ready to do so.
Another long, slow puff.
Well then, after you were born, and just before he left Paris to go on his travels in the East which I believe you now know about your pa wrote to me. Hed conceived a plan for your future, and asked me to watch over you, should I ever be requested to do so. To this, of course, I instantly agreed.
But then he died, I remarked.
Indeed, said Captain Willoughby, from behind a fog of smoky tendrils.
And then?
Madame de lOrme wrote to me last year, to tell me that the circumstances were now right for your pas plan to be put in motion at last. That piece of intelligence, of course, immediately put things on a war footing, and I began to make the necessary arrangements.
All went smoothly, and when you arrived at Evenwood, Id already taken a cottage in the village. You may know it. Curates Cottage?
I knew it a small, two-storeyed dwelling, not far from the entrance to the church-yard and now recalled Sukie mentioning that it had a new tenant, a former military gentleman who kept himself very much to himself.
Every morning, mid-day, afternoon, and evening since then, continued the captain, without fail, come rain or shine, Ive set off on patrol through the Park, making sure to stop for a moment or two before the West Front, to look up at a certain window. When Im confident that no candles are burning there, I go on my way rejoicing. Youve seen me standing there once, I think, one foggy morning?
And once on the bridge, I said, as Lady Tansor passed by in her barouche, with a gentleman companion.
Ah, said Captain Willoughby. You saw me then, did you?
It was you! I cried, having been struck by a sudden realization. You let me out of the Mausoleum! Captain Willoughby nodded.
Bulls-eye, my dear. No candles burning, just a soldiers instinct and a little luck.
It appeared that he had chanced to see me setting off to the Mausoleum, and had decided he would take a detour on the way back from his mid-day patrol, to assure himself that all was well with me.
Arriving at the Mausoleum soon after my Lady had departed, and hearing my cries coming from within that dreadful place, he was at first dismayed to know what could be done to release me. Then he remembered hearing his neighbour, the loquacious Mr Thripp, mentioning that a key to the Mausoleum was kept in the Rectory. This, after walking the considerable distance to seek out the Rector, he eventually obtained, on the pretext of wishing to satisfy an architectural interest in the interior of the building.
Dashed good luck, of course, that the old boy was at home, the captain conceded. But Id have got you out, one way or the other, never fear, even if it meant bringing up the artillery to blow the doors off.
Of course I had to kiss him, which I did, to his great confusion.
Now, now, he said, in a vain attempt at bluster, thats enough of that. Only doing mduty, you know.
I allowed him several more puffs on his pipe, as a reward, before continuing to quiz him.
Now Captain Willoughby, I said at length. Tell me this. Are you acting strictly under orders?
Orders? What do you mean?
I have so many large and urgent questions to ask, concerning my fathers history, to which I long to have answers. Ive a strong impression, Captain Willoughby, that you know a very great deal more about him than youre able to tell me, and that youd be willing to reveal what you know, were you not constrained in some way. I simply thought that you might be obeying orders, which, of course, a soldier is obliged to do.
Throughout this exchange with Captain Willoughby, Mrs Ridpath had remained silent, although still visibly discomfited; but now, before Captain Willoughby could speak again, she stood up to ring the bell to summon the maid.
How rude you must think me, my dear, she said. Here you are, a quarter of an hour in the house, and Ive offered you no refreshment. Youll take something, wont you?
The girl was soon at the door to receive her orders. After she had gone, Mrs Ridpath sat down again, and gently took my hand.
You must know, my dear, that Captain Willoughby and I are not free agents. As you have realized, we can act only according to the instructions weve been given by Madame de lOrme, who is in turn fulfilling her own undertaking to your dear father. You may call these orders, if you like; but they are orders that we can neither counter-mand nor ignore. It will not always be so. A day will come
A day always comes, I said, wishing to spare her any more discomfiture, and so I shall not make myself disagreeable any longer, dear Mrs Ridpath, but shall wait patiently for that day of final illumination. But will you please just tell me this: how did you come to play a part in my fathers plan?
Thats a long story, my dear, she said, and now is not the time to tell it. But this much, at least, I believe that Madame would not be unwilling for you to know.
I was one of your predecessors at Evenwood. My name then was Lizzie Brine.
LIZZIE BRINE.
I had a maid once, I remembered Emily telling me, Elizabeth Brine by name, who gave very satisfactory service. Mr Pocock had also mentioned her name, and that of her brother, John Brine, who had been Mr Paul Carterets man-servant at the Dower House.
Mrs Ridpath saw the flash of remembrance in my expression.
Youve heard of me, I see, she said.
I have.
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sp; Ive just a little more to say, my dear, and then I think Ill have said enough, for now.
Not so very long after the death of Mr Phoebus Daunt, when it became known that Miss Carteret, as she then was, intended to go travelling on the Continent, I naturally expected that I would accompany her. Instead, I was informed by Miss Carteret that she required someone to attend her who could speak French and German, and that she would therefore be seeking to engage a new maid.
So she left Evenwood, and soon afterwards I was dismissed, along with my brother, by the late Lord Tansor. I dont say we werent treated well: we were given excellent references, and sufficient money to allow us to leave England, where wed no future, and begin new lives in America. John bought some land to farm in Connecticut, and I became housekeeper to Mr Nathan Ridpath, a Boston banker.
Well, you may guess a little of the rest. I married Mr Ridpath, and began to improve myself thereby, having always been an eager learner, and greatly fond of the few books I could get and of course the first thing I did was to learn French and German, not so much to spite my former mistress, although I wont deny that it gave me some satisfaction to acquire the skills I had been dismissed for lacking, but principally to begin turning myself into something better than an English village girl, for my husbands sake.
But then Mr Ridpath died, only six months after our marriage. He left me very well provided for, and in this comfortable condition I returned to England. This is the house I purchased, and here Ive been ever since.
I listened to her with rapt attention, for of course any scrap of information concerning Emilys past was of the greatest interest to me; and in Lizzie Brines story I began to divine dim intimations of some momentous, yet still unformed, truth.
But how did you first come to know my father? I asked.
When I was Miss Carterets maid, we I mean my brother, John, and I came to an arrangement with your father.
She paused.
An arrangement?