The Mynns' Mystery

by George Manville Fenn

  CHAPTER TWENTY.

  THE MASTER IS LATE.

  "Hadn't we better begin breakfast. Mr Hampton?" said Gertrude.

  "Oh, don't hurry, my dear. Mr Hampton is not going to town by theearly train. What a lovely morning! Perhaps he has gone for a walk."The ladies walked to the window and Mr Hampton turned his newspaper andcoughed loudly, as he glanced at the breakfast-table, afterwards makinga wry face as he felt sundry twinges suggestive of Nature's demands forfood.

  A quarter of an hour slipped by, and then the old housekeeper, who keptto the same simple old fashion adopted by her late master, whosehousehold had consisted of Denton, a housemaid, cook, and gardener,entered the dining-room.

  "Shall I bring up the ham, Miss Gertrude?"

  "Perhaps you had better go and knock at Mr Harrington's door. He mayhave dropped asleep again."

  The old woman went out, and at the end of five minutes she came back,looking pale and scared.

  "I--I can't make him hear, miss," she said. "Do you think he is ill?"

  "Gone for a walk," said the old lawyer sharply.

  "I--I don't think he has gone out, sir," faltered the old lady."Perhaps you wouldn't mind going up to his room."

  "And be told to mind my own business--eh? Thanks; no."

  He gave the newspaper a vicious shake, and a blow in the middle todouble it up for a fresh reading.

  "Shall I go up, Gertrude, my dear?" said Mrs Hampton.

  "If you would not mind. He may, perhaps, be a little unwell."

  "To be sure, my dear. I'll go."

  The lawyer's wife left the room, and without a moment's hesitationwalked along the passage to the study, entered and looked round.

  "Yes," she said to herself, as she took up the whiskey decanter, andheld it at arm's length. "How temperate and self-denying we are.Essence of sick headache, and he has drunk every drop."

  To give colour to Mrs Hampton's theory, besides the empty condition ofthe decanter, a peculiar odour of spirits filled the room, causing theold lady's nostrils to dilate, and the corners of her lips to go down asshe hurried out.

  "And they hardly ever will open a window," she muttered, as she stood inthe hall, hesitating. "But I said I would go up," she continued, andascending quickly she paused before the door of the bedroom she sought.

  "Mr Harrington!" she cried, as she gave a few sharp raps with her bonyknuckles.

  No answer.

  "Mr Harrington!"

  The taps were louder, but there was no reply.

  "I thought as much," she muttered. "Broken out again, and in a regulardrunkard's sleep. No; it's an insult to sober people's rest to call itsleep--stupor. Oh, my poor girl, my poor girl! If I could only saveyou from being this dreadful man's wife."

  "Mr Harrington!" she cried again, after a pause; but all was still.Then the taps she had previously given upon the door became heavythumps. "Mr Harrington, are you coming down to breakfast?"

  "Is anything the matter, ma'am?" said the old housekeeper coming slowlyup the stairs.

  "Yes, Mrs Denton; no, Mrs Denton; yes, Mrs Denton. I mean nothingserious, but it's very dreadful."

  The old housekeeper shook her head; and the tears stood in her eyes asshe walked to the end of the wide passage, and descended to the embayedwindow looking upon the garden, where she used her apron to flick offsome white powdery dust from the sill.

  "Yes, ma'am," she said, "it is very dreadful. I know what you mean.Poor dear master liked his two or three glasses of port after hisdinner, but that was all. Unless any one was ill you never saw a dropof spirits about the place, while now it's brandy and whiskey, and sodaand seltzer, as is a pair of shams, not to make the spirits weaker, butto coax people on to drink more."

  "You think the same as I do then, Denton?" whispered Mrs Hampton.

  "It don't take any thinking, ma'am. Look at his nose and his cheeks.People don't have those public-house signs on their fronts without goingvery often into the cellar. Oh, my dear ma'am; you're a woman--I mean alady."

  "Only a woman like yourself, Denton."

  "Then don't--pray don't stand by with your hands crossed and see thatpoor darling child sold into such a bondage as this."

  "What do you mean, Denton?"

  "Well, there, ma'am, if you're offended, you must be, but I shall speakthe honest truth."

  "Go on, Denton."

  "I mean letting poor Miss Gertrude be married to such a man as MasterGeorge."

  "What am I to do, Denton?"

  "I don't know, ma'am. I've been down upon my bended knees to her, butshe turns away. She don't like him--that's the wonder of it--and yetshe will have him."

  "Yes, Denton; that's the wonder of it. She's little and weak, and yetshe's stronger than all of us put together with poor old MrHarrington's wishes at her back."

  "But you, ma'am--she believes in and likes you. Many a time she's cometo me, years ago, and told me how you've scolded and found fault withher about her manners, and when I've said you were very cantankerous--"

  "Oh, you said that of me, did you, Denton?"

  "Yes, ma'am, to speak the truth, I have said so; but she always spoke upfor you, and said you talked to her like a mother."

  "Yes, Denton; I tried to."

  "Then," cried the old woman fiercely, "why don't you talk to her like amother now, and save the poor child from such a terrible fate."

  "You think it will be a terrible fate, Denton?"

  "Do you believe in young men who can't keep from the drink now, and whomake the poor old house smell of whiskey from top to bottom, mendingbecause they've got pretty young wives?"

  "I want to be charitable, Denton."

  "Then prove it, ma'am, by saving my poor dear young lady from being thewife of a sot."

  "Is anything the matter, Mrs Hampton?" said Gertrude.

  "No, my dear, only that wicked, idle man is so fast asleep that wecannot wake him."

  "Never mind," said the old lawyer, who had followed Gertrude out intothe hall. "Better let him have his sleep out. Come, my dear, and havepity on me."

  "Yes, Mr Hampton, we will not wait any longer. Denton, pray see thatsome fresh breakfast is ready on a tray, to bring up directly yourmaster comes down."

  "Yes, miss, I will," said the old woman; and then in an undertone toMrs Hampton, as the old lawyer said something to Gertrude: "Do, do,pray, ma'am, try and stop it. I'd sooner help to lay the poor dear outfor her last sleep than help to dress her to go to church with MasterGeorge."

  Mrs Hampton went down the flight of stairs to the breakfast-table,looking exceedingly comic.

  Hers was a peculiar face at the best of times; and now it was at itsworst, for her spirit was greatly troubled on Gertrude's behalf, and shewas trying to smile and look cheerful.

  Her husband saw it and made matters worse.

  "Gertrude, my dear," he said in a whisper his wife could hear, "forgoodness' sake give her a cup of tea; she's bubbling over with acidity."

  "No, I am not, Hampton, and don't be absurd."

  "Certainly not, my dear. Excuse me, Miss Gertie, may I begin?"

  He was already placing a slice of ham upon his plate with a delicatelycooked egg reposing in its midst, but he recollected himself and passedit across to his wife.

  "Thanks, no," she said with quite a hoarse croak. "Dry toast."

  Gertrude was of the same way of thinking. Only the lawyer made a heartybreakfast hastily, and then started for town.

  "No, no, don't you ladies move," he said. "Finish your breakfasts.Apologise to George Harrington for me. Back in good time."

  He did not realise that the other occupants of the breakfast-table hadbeen forcing themselves to swallow a few morsels, so as to keep upappearances; and as the door closed their eyes met, and Gertrude couldcontain herself no longer, but burst into a passion of tears.

  "Hush, hush, my darling?" whispered Mrs Hampton, taking her to herbreast. "Don't take on about it. There, there, there; I want to play amother's part to you,
and I'm only a clumsy imitation; but, indeed,Gertie, I want to advise you for the best."

  "Yes, I know you do," whispered the poor girl, as she struggled hard tobe composed. "But tell me you don't think there is any reason forGeorge being so late."

  For answer Mrs Hampton kissed her on the brow.

  "You do not speak. It is cruel of you to be silent."

  "Do you wish me to speak out?"

  "Yes, even if I do not agree with you," cried Gertrude, flushing up asif ready to defend her betrothed.

  "Then, my dear, I do."

  "Tell me--what?"

  "I am George Harrington's guest, Gertrude; then I am the trusty friendof the girl I have known and loved ever since she was a child."

  "Yes, yes, indeed you are; I know that; only you are so bitter againstGeorge."

  "Gertie, my dear," said the old lady, leading her to the couch andsitting down with old Harrington's face seeming to smile down upon them,"if I feel bitter against George Harrington it is from love for you."

  "Yes, yes; but try not to be unjust. Think of the life he has beenforced to lead."

  "I can think only of my little girl's life that she will have to lead."

  "Why do you speak like this?" panted Gertrude, who looked like somefrightened bird, ready to struggle to escape.

  "I may be hard and unjust, my child, but I judge by what I see."

  "See! What have you seen this morning?"

  "I have been in the study. It smells as a room does where men havepassed the night drinking."

  "But after the change--after the promises."

  "The whiskey decanter was empty. I know it was full yesterday morning,for I saw Mrs Denton carry it in."

  "Ah!" sighed Gertrude.

  "And this morning the man you have promised to marry is lying in adrunken sleep."

  "You do not know that," cried Gertrude excitedly.

  "I know enough to make me say once more--Gertrude, I am a childless oldwoman, and I love you as Mr Hampton loves you in his peculiar way,which is a good deal like mine--rough and clumsy, but very honest andtrue."

  "Dearest Mrs Hampton!" cried Gertrude, throwing her arms about the oldlady's neck; "as if I did not know how good, and kind, and loving youhave always been."

  "Then listen to me once more, my darling, before it is too late. I donot look like the sort of woman who can talk about love, but I can, andI know what love is."

  "Yes, yes, of course," faltered Gertrude.

  "And I know that you do not love George Harrington."

  A pause.

  "And George Harrington does not love you."

  "He told me he did--very dearly, Mrs Hampton, and if--if--I do not lovehim as I ought to do, I shall try so very, very hard to make him a trueand loving wife."

  "Trying is no use, my dear. Love comes and goes of itself. You maymake yourself friends with any one, but you cannot make yourself love."

  "Not when he loves me?" cried Gertrude.

  "So much, my child, that only a short time before he is married to you,he goes and plays the swine."

  "Mrs Hampton!" cried Gertrude indignantly.

  "Very well, then, my dear, I will not speak like that. It is too bluntand strong. He goes then--after promising everybody, and indisobedience to Doctor Lawrence's orders, and quite soon after adangerous attack of _delirium tremens_, brought on by drink--and takesthat which has compelled him to keep his bed this morning."

  "But he may be ill, Mrs Hampton."

  "He is ill, my dear, and with an illness which brings on a craving hecannot control."

  "Oh?" sighed Gertrude, covering her face with her hands.

  "He madly goes and makes himself the slave of a terrible master, whowill ruin health, and pocket--destroy him utterly."

  "You are too severe, Mrs Hampton," faltered Gertrude.

  "Not a bit, my dear."

  "He said he would not take more than Mr Hampton might, or you."

  "That will not do, my dear," said the old lady calmly. "My husbandtreats wine and spirits as his slaves, and makes them obey him. I dothe same. George Harrington sets what the teetotallers call the greatGod Alcohol up on a pedestal, and grovels before it in his insaneworship."

  "But he is growing so much better, Mrs Hampton."

  "No, my dear. He is only professing to do so. He is the slave and hewill go lower and lower. I say then, even with the great wealth he hasinherited, is this man the suitable partner of your future?"

  "I want to defend him," sighed Gertrude to herself, "but she mastersme--she masters me."

  "Then listen to me, my dear, before it is too late. Do one of twothings--come to us, where you shall be as our child, or, if you preferit, set up a little simple home of your own, with poor old Denton, whowould gladly accept this plan; you will not be well off, but you will behappy--yes, I say happy," cried the old lady, looking up defiantly atthe portrait, which had caught her eye, and seemed to be gazingsearchingly at her. "Ah, you may look, but you are only canvas andpaint; and if you were alive you would not throw this poor child intothe arms of a drunken man."

  "Mrs Hampton, what are you saying?" cried Gertrude, looking up andshivering, as she realised that the old lady was addressing the pictureon the wall.

  "The plain, honest, simple truth, my dear. Come, come, be advised byme."

  "No, no; it is impossible," murmured Gertrude.

  "Not a bit of it, my child. Think of your future. He will not reform."

  "He will--he will."

  "He will not. He can't. He hasn't it in him. Gertie, my dear, you mayfight for him, but he is a shifty bad man, and I don't believe in him abit."

  "This is too cruel."

  "It is kindness though it gives you pain, my dear. Some men mightrepent and alter, but I have studied George Harrington from the day hecame to the house, and I cannot find the stuff in him to make a betterman."

  "I should make him a better man, Mrs Hampton," said Gertrude proudly.

  "You would worry yourself into your grave, Gertrude, and if you marryhim, I shall order my mourning at once, for you do not, and never willlove him."

  "Now you are laughing at me," said Gertrude, brightening up, and takingthe old lady's withered hands in her soft, plump little palms. "It isimpossible to follow out your proposal, and I shall marry GeorgeHarrington for my dear uncle's sake."

  "And be a wretched woman for life."

  "No, Mrs Hampton; even at the worst, I shall have the happyconsciousness of having done my duty; but there will be no worse. Ishall win."

  Mrs Hampton shook her head.

  "Yes," repeated Gertrude; "I shall win, and bring him to the right way.He cannot refuse to listen to me. Surely a weak trusting woman haspower over even the strongest man."

  "In novels, and poems, and plays, my dear, more than in real life, I amafraid," said Mrs Hampton, with a sigh of resignation; "but rememberthis, my dear, when in the future you recall all I have said--No, no,no, my darling; I can't stoop to talk to you like that. Gertie, mychild, I am very sorry, but I am going to help you carry out your nobleresolve with all my heart."

  "Mrs Hampton?" cried Gertrude joyously.

  "Yes, my dear; and if women can win, we'll make a hero of GeorgeHarrington--good Heavens! what's that?"

  The two women started from the sofa, and gazed in a startled way towardthe hall.