An Eye for an Eye Part 24

"Nothing ever happens to mother," observed Eva, with a light laugh.

"She'll turn up presently." Then she explained how I had called at The Hollies and she had brought me along. On reaching Riverdene she had instantly concealed her agitation and rea.s.sumed her old buoyant spirits in order that none should suspect. She was an adept at the art of disguising her feelings, for none would now believe that twenty minutes before her face had been blanched, almost deathlike in agitation.

Together we walked up the lawn, being warmly welcomed by Mrs. Blain and introduced to several friends who, seated beneath a tree, were idling over afternoon tea, a pleasant function in which we were, of course, compelled to join.

Seated next to Mrs. Blain I gossiped for a long time with her, learning that her husband was still in Paris, detained upon his company business.

He was often there, for he was one of the greatest s.h.i.+ppers of champagne, and much of his business was with firms in the French capital.

"I don't expect him back for at least a fortnight," she said. "The other day, when writing, I mentioned that you had visited us again and he sent his good wishes to you."

"Thanks," I answered. Truth to tell, I rather liked him. He was a typical City man, elderly, spruce, smartly dressed, always showing a large expanse of elaborate s.h.i.+rt-front, fastened by diamond studs, and a heavy gold albert, a fas.h.i.+on which seems to alone belong to wealthy merchants and to that financial tribe who attend and speak at meetings at Winchester House or the _Cannon Street Hotel_.

From time to time when I glanced at Eva I was surprised to see how happily she smiled, and to hear how light and careless was her laughter.

Had she already forgotten my words and the great overwhelming sorrow her response had brought upon me?

To Mrs. Blain's irresponsible chatter I answered quite mechanically, for all my thoughts were of that woman whom I loved. Deeply I reflected upon all she had said, remembering how intensely agitated she had become when I had implied that she was in possession of some secret. The vehemence with which she had denied my imputation was quite sufficient to show that I had unconsciously referred to the one object uppermost in her mind. I was undecided in opinion whether her refusal to accept my love was actually in consequence of her fear of Mary's jealousy. If so, then Mary was in possession of this secret of hers. There was no doubt in my mind that she really loved me, and that, if she were fearless, she would hasten to reciprocate my affection. Apparently hers was a guilty secret, held over her as menace by Mary Blain, and knowing this she had been compelled to respond in the negative. This theory took possession of me, and during the hours I spent at Riverdene that evening, dining and boating with several of my fellow-visitors, I reflected upon it, viewing it in its every phase, and finding it to be well founded.

Indeed, as I sat opposite the two girls at dinner, I watched the actions of both furtively behind the great silver epergne of roses and ferns, and although they chatted merrily, laughing and joking with their male companions, I nevertheless fancied that I could detect a slight expression of concealed annoyance--or was it of hatred?--upon Eva's face whenever Mary addressed her. Ever so slight, merely the quivering or slight contraction of the eyebrows, it pa.s.sed unnoticed by the merry party, yet with my eyes on the alert for any sign it was to me a proof sufficient that the theory I had formed was correct, and that the woman I loved went in deadly fear of Mary Blain.

If this were really so, did it not add additional colour to the other vague theories that had been aroused in my mind through various inexplicable circ.u.mstances? Did it not, indeed, point to the fact that upon Eva, although she might have been a victim of that bewildering tragedy in Phillimore Place, there rested a terrible guilt?

I recollected how she had gone to St. James's Park to keep the appointment which the unknown a.s.sa.s.sin's accomplice had made, and the remarkable allegation of old Lowry, the herbalist--two facts which, viewed in the light of other discoveries, were circ.u.mstances in themselves sufficient evidence of her guilt. Besides, had she not, with her own lips, told me that one day ere long I should hate her very name, and thank her for refusing to accept my love?

Was not this sufficient proof of the correctness of my theory?

As evening wore on and darkness deepened into night, the strings of Chinese lanterns at the bottom of the lawn were lit, imparting to the place a very gay, almost fairylike, aspect. There were many remarks regarding the non-appearance of Lady Glaslyn. Mrs. Blain seemed extremely anxious, yet Eva betrayed no anxiety, merely saying--

"She may have felt unwell and returned. I shall no doubt find her at home with one of her bad headaches."

Thus all were rea.s.sured. Nevertheless, the incident struck me as curious, for Eva's calm unconcern showed that her mother must be a woman of somewhat eccentric habits.

Simpson drove us both to Shepperton Station in the motor-car, and we caught the ten-thirty train, from which she alighted at Hampton while I continued my journey up to Waterloo. During the fifteen minutes or so we were alone together in the train our conversation was mainly of our fellow-visitors. Of a sudden I asked--

"Have you seen Mr. Langdale lately?"

"Yes. I often see him. He lives quite near us," she answered frankly.

"You told me this afternoon, Eva, that you were not engaged. Are you confident there is not likely to be a match between you?"

"A match between us!" she exclaimed with an expression of surprise.

"What, are you joking, or do you actually suspect that I love him?"

"I have thought so."

"Never!" she answered decisively. "I may be friendly, but to love a man of that stamp--a man who thinks more of his dress than a woman--never?"

I smiled at this denunciation of his foppishness. He was certainly a howling cad, for ever dusting his patent leather boots with his handkerchief, shooting forth his cuffs, and settling his tie. He parted his hair in the middle, and patronised women because he believed himself to be a lady-killer. Truly he was a typical specimen of the City "bounder," who might some day develop into a bucket-shop keeper, a company promoter, or perhaps a money-lender.

At the moment when we were speaking the train entered the station of Hampton, and she rose.

"Tell me, Eva," I said with deep earnestness as I took her hand to say farewell, "is what you told me this afternoon the absolute truth? Can you never--never reciprocate my love?"

Her lips quivered for an instant as her great blue eyes met mine. Even though she wore a veil, I saw that there were tears in them.

"Yes," she answered in a hoa.r.s.e tone, "I have told you the truth, Mr.

Urwin. We may never love--never."

The train was already at a standstill, and she was compelled to descend hurriedly.

"Good-night," she said hoa.r.s.ely as I released her hand. Then, without waiting for my response, she hurried away and was a moment later lost in the darkness of the road beyond the barrier.

The carriage door was slammed, the train moved on, and as it did so I flung myself back into a corner, plunged in gloom and abject despair.

She was the only woman I had ever truly loved, yet she was held apart from me. It was the first pa.s.sionate agony of my life. I suffered now as those do without hope.

I found d.i.c.k at home smoking furiously, and busily writing in duplicate for the morning papers a strange story he had that evening picked up out at Gipsy Hill concerning a romantic elopement, which would cause considerable sensation in those little tea-and-tennis circles which call themselves suburban society. He briefly related it to me without pausing in his work, writing on oiled tissue paper and taking six copies, one for each of the great dailies. My friend's position in the journalistic world was by no means an uncommon one, for many men holding good berths on newspapers add to their incomes by doing what in press parlance is termed "lineage"--that is contributing to other newspapers for the payment of a penny, or perhaps three-halfpence, a line.

I told him that I'd been down to Riverdene, but so engrossed was he in his work that he hazarded no remark, and when he had finished and placed the copies in separate envelopes, already addressed, he put on his hat and went forth to the Boy-Messenger Office in Chancery Lane, whence they would be distributed to the sub-editors about Fleet Street.

I lit a cigarette and stretched myself in the armchair, gloomily pondering. Of late we had spoken but little of the mystery in Phillimore Place, for other inquiries had occupied d.i.c.k's attention, and on my part, loving Eva as I did, I preferred to continue my investigation alone.

Perhaps I had been sitting there a quarter of an hour or so, when suddenly a strange dizziness crept over me. It might, I thought, be due to my cigarette, therefore I tossed it out of the window and sat quiet.

But the feeling of nausea, accompanied by a giddiness such as I had never before experienced, increased rather than diminished, and in order to light against it I rose and attempted to cross the room. I must have walked very unsteadily, for in the attempt I upset a chair, the back of which was broken, beside sweeping d.i.c.k's terra-cotta tobacco-pot from the table and smas.h.i.+ng it to fragments. I clutched at the table in order to steady myself, but found myself reeling and swaying as though I were intoxicated. My legs seemed unable to support me, and the thought crossed my mind that this seizure might be one of paralysis. The idea was horrible.

At length, after some difficulty, I managed to again crawl back to the chair, and sinking down, closed my eyes. By doing so my brain seemed more evenly balanced, yet it seemed as though inside my skull was all on fire, and I wondered if exposure to the sun while rowing had caused these remarkable symptoms. I recollected how blazing hot it had been from Shepperton up to the second lock, and how once Eva, ever solicitous for my welfare, had warned me to be careful of sunstroke.

Yes, I had been careless, and this was undoubtedly the result.

My hands were trembling as though palsied, just as my legs had done a few minutes before, yet strangely enough I felt compelled to clench my fingers into my palms. All my muscles seemed slowly to contract, until even my jaws worked with painful difficulty.

An appalling fear fell upon me. I was suffering from teta.n.u.s.

Resolved not to allow my jaws to close tightly, I opened and shut my mouth, knowing that if it became fixed I should die a slow, lingering death as so many thousands had done. If I could only keep my jaws working the seizure might, perhaps, pa.s.s.

I longed for d.i.c.k's return. At that hour there was no one I could summon to call a doctor. I glanced at the clock. He had been already gone nearly half an hour. Would he never come back?

The sickening dizziness increased, and seemed to develop into an excruciating pain in my throbbing temples. I placed my hand to my head and felt that the veins were standing out hard and knotted, just as though I were exerting every muscle in some feat of strength. Then almost at that very instant I was gripped by a fearful pain in the stomach, as though it were being torn by a thousand needles. A cold sweat stood upon my brow until it rolled down my cheeks in great beads.

I tried to shout for help, but my tongue clave to the roof of my mouth, and my voice was thin and weak as a child's. My throat seemed to have contracted. I was altogether helpless.

My agony was excruciating, yet I could only await d.i.c.k's return.

Perhaps he had met a friend, and was lounging in some bar ignorant of my peril. The only doctor I knew in the vicinity was a hospital surgeon who lived a little way down Chancery Lane, over the Safe Deposit Company's vaults. I clenched my teeth to endure the racking, frightful pains by which my body was tortured, and in patience awaited my friend's home-coming.

My eyes were closed, for the gas-light was too strong for them. Perhaps I lost consciousness. At any rate I was awakened from a kind of heavy stupor by d.i.c.k's tardy entry.

"Good G.o.d, Urwin!" he gasped. "Why, what's the matter? What's occurred? You're as white as a sheet, man!"

"I'm ill," I managed to gasp with extreme difficulty. "Go and get Tweedie--at once!"

He stood for a moment looking at me with a frightened expression, then turned and dashed away down the stairs.