‘Who runs may read,’ said Alison, tossing some letters to Cassie.
Cassie read with a changing face, and both women started at the opening door.
‘It is Nance, the one person who does not matter. Fortune favours me so far.’
‘What is the trouble?’ said Nance, receiving the letters, and taking them to the light.
dear alison,
I have had a letter, which I enclose. I am returning to-morrow.
duncan edgeworth.
‘What an odd note! Does the other explain it? What childish writing! Is it a child’s?’
dear sir,
I feel called upon to write to you, being dismissed for what I could not help, and you will not be able to help 194 either. I have done my duty, all that was given me, with Miss Jekyll and the mistress in and out all day, and me hardly to put a hand on the child, though knowing such things better, as is natural. Master Richard has a piece of white hair on his head like Mr Grant. For knowing which I am dismissed, and going to a strange place, though it was no fault of mine, as it was through Miss Jekyll or the mistress letting the white show at the roots. And it was taken as prying, which it was not, sir, I assure you. And it is only that he takes after Mr Grant and the picture, in having a piece in front of his little head, and things must run in families, as we all know. For which I trust you will thank me, as it gives you to think about the mistress and Mr Grant, as it has others. Trusting you will not be much upset, and offering my respectful sympathy.
Yours respectfully,
emma marshall.
‘What a predicament! What was her motive? What good can it do her? We were careful to be kind, and gave her a character and presents and everything. I don’t understand it.’
‘We did not understand Marshall,’ said Cassie.
‘Shall we ask for the presents back?’ said Alison. ‘It would have shown juster feeling to return them.’
‘We can’t pretend it is not true,’ said Cassie. ‘The stained hair cannot be really disguised. It is something that the child can know nothing.’
‘Duncan cannot arrive until late. I can rely upon a respite. It is the one thing that seems to matter. We don’t often have the first thing we would ask of life: I should feel myself fortunate.’ 195
‘You should not,’ said Cassie. ‘The secret has come to light in a strange way. It might have remained.’
‘I can’t follow Marshall,’ said Nance. ‘She seemed to have no initiative. And she can get no advantage. Father will hardly reward her. Why should he be glad to be told? He cannot find it an occasion for gratitude, however it strikes him. Trouble is of course beginning, with Sibyl on the stairs! We must go on talking in an ordinary way.’
‘She must be told,’ said Cassie. ‘There is no help. She must be prepared for your father’s return. Questions will be worse than anything.’
‘The Father’s Return!’ said Alison. ‘It sounds like the title of a story; and it is an excellent tale.’
‘What is all this confabulation?’ said Sibyl, almost as she opened the door.
‘It has a sufficient reason,’ said Alison, handing her the letters.
‘What are they about? Is Father coming back? Where is the letter he is enclosing? Is anything wrong?’
‘I don’t think he does feel things are quite as they should be. We have that impression. Read the other letter.’
‘From Marshall to Father! I suppose it is to Father? Why is she writing to him? To complain of being dismissed? Why did she not ask to see him before he went?’
‘Read the letter, Sibyl,’ said Cassie. ‘It is the best way to know. And be prepared to be startled.’
‘What a silly way to write! Why should she do more than she was required to? What? Has he? Has he a piece of white hair like Grant? Is it true?’
‘It is true,’ said Cassie. ‘And true that she was dismissed when she found it. And true that Grant’s folly was made the excuse, 196 though there was something in it. You know now; we need not talk of it.’
‘It is hard to expect her not to make some observation,’ said Alison.
‘How long have you known? Has he always had it? Oh, I suppose from the first, like Grant.’ Sibyl looked from Cassie to Alison. ‘Well, we did not know Marshall; that is clear.’
‘Everything is clear,’ said Alison.
‘What can we do, Sibyl?’ said Nance. ‘You understand Father best.’
‘Do? Why, tear it up; burn it; anything. Say that Marshall made it up, and brave it out. Anything so that he cannot be sure. Try to make it a joke against him.’
‘The laugh is on the other side,’ said Alison. ‘And you have not hit on the precise emotion.’
‘It is not possible, Sibyl,’ said Cassie. ‘We should not be in this trouble, if it were.’
‘Alison, was it that night,’ said Sibyl, ‘when I came to the library, and you and Grant – that night soon after you came?’
‘This is beside the mark,’ said Cassie. ‘We have to think what to do. If it spreads beyond the family, we must take your line, and, as you say, brave it out. But to take it with your father would prolong and emphasize it all. We should have no chance.’
‘It is such a silly, uneducated letter. Father may not believe it, when he thinks twice.’
‘It is hardly silly. It had to be uneducated, in the sense of being written by someone without education. And thinking twice must lead to investigation and certainty.’
‘Well, you may admire it, Cassie,’ said Sibyl; ‘I do not.’ 197
‘I admire it,’ said Alison. ‘It is hardly for me to minimize it in any sense. I shall keep it as a memento of a dramatic passage in my life. Not that I shall need reminder. And it is Duncan’s property, and this is scarcely the moment to ask for a present.’
‘What can we do about it?’ said Sibyl.
‘Nothing, except undo the past.’
‘I wonder Father stopped to read it.’
‘We do read letters when they come for us,’ said Cassie. ‘There was no loophole there.’
‘I don’t notice a preponderance of loopholes anywhere,’ said Alison.
‘I should think he may not refer to it.’
‘Oh, yes, Sibyl,’ said Cassie. ‘We are in more of a predicament than that.’
‘Say nothing about it, Alison, and he may not bring it up.’
‘It is late for that solution. He has brought it up.’
‘I think you are very brave.’
‘My virtues are not the part of me under inspection.’
‘She is,’ said Cassie; ‘so brave, that we can depend on her to be braver.’
‘It seems an odd position for me, to be receiving compliments. I hardly think it is what Duncan would suggest. We do behave differently behind his back.’
‘We shall all be admiring you, Alison,’ said Sibyl, in a full, encouraging tone.
‘It seems that my husband’s view will stand by itself.’
‘Grant must come home,’ said Nance.
‘Does he know that the child – about the white hair?’ said Sibyl.
‘He does not know. The fewer who knew, the less the risk,’ said Cassie. ‘As it is, the truth is out. Alison knew it first, and told 198 me; and Nance found it out later. Marshall discovered through an oversight; and we told her it was fair to the child to disguise it, until he could decide for himself. She was vague about the family relationships, but we dared not depend on her tongue. We had to make the most of Grant’s behaviour, but we tried to keep her goodwill. We were not prepared for her being so vindictive. She gave no sign.’
‘Grant does not get left out of anything,’ said Alison. ‘It is Duncan who is rather out of it all. I am quite up in arms for my husband. Well, what is it, Bethia?’
‘Young Mr Bode has called, and is in the drawing-room, ma’am.’
‘Go down to him, Alison,’ said Sibyl; ‘it will make a break.’
‘I hardly want to pass the time, in view of what I look forward to; but I may as well be seen once again as a respectable matron.’
Sibyl looked after her with a sort of light in her eyes.
‘I could not show her courage. It seems almost to make up for her mistakes.’
‘I wish it could really help,’ said Nance.
‘I think it will help. Any fine quality does. Do you really think Father will speak of it?’
‘I don’t know why you think he may not. It seems what he is coming home for.’
‘We can only be as kind as we can, to both. I should hate to be a Pharisee at a time like this.’
‘Our kindness can do nothing for them. It is a good thing they have lost their feeling for each other.’
‘I don’t think Alison ever had much for Father. That may be an excuse for her.’
‘Hardly one to be brought forward. I could not face Father in her place.’ 199
‘I don’t think she is going to face him,’ said Cassie, who had moved to the window.
The sisters followed, and looked down at Alison and Almeric, walking at a rapid pace from the house.
‘What can that mean?’ said Sibyl.
‘That Alison feels as I should about meeting Father.’
‘Will they keep together? Will Alison stay with the Bodes? Has she told Almeric?’ said Sibyl, moving uncertainly. ‘Ought we to go after them? We must prevent any further trouble. It is Father whom we must think of.’
‘She has evidently told him she has to get away,’ said Nance. ‘It is Father whom we are all thinking of.’
‘It is in the worst taste to take that tone. Do we want the same tragedy over again?’
‘I think,’ said Cassie, ‘that it is best to let someone in a great difficulty get out of it in any way she has thought of. We hardly have a human right to prevent it. The remedy cannot be worse than the disease. We must leave her her own solution.’
‘We must send a message to Grant,’ said Nance.
‘We will do so later, if there is need. We shall know, when your father is at home. But she must be left her way. We are fortunate that she has found a way. We could not find one for her.’
‘It is odd that we think of her and not of Father,’ said Sibyl.
‘Your father has the power; the helpless person has the pity; and it is a poor substitute.’
‘It is true that tragedy arouses pity and terror,’ said Nance. ‘In me terror is getting the upper hand.’
Duncan’s return approached with the hours; the tension gathered, and touched the point of reaction; and Cassie and Nance heard his arrival with a feeling akin to weariness. He 200 entered his house with his usual directions, and abated not a jot of his normal manner. The servants had hardly left him when Sibyl ran into his arms.
‘Father, don’t think it is more than it is; don’t think your life is altered! It was a moment of madness years ago. It is not fair it should make a tragedy. Alison has gone, because she is afraid to meet you. Almeric is helping her to hide until she is forgiven. She is giving you a chance to think and understand. It is surely for a man to take it.’
Duncan heard with a look of simple resolution. Thought of his wife had little place in his mind. His being was given to fear for the fame of his house. Anything was a matter of course that would save his family name.
‘Almeric? Young Bode?’ he said, in a voice of direct question. ‘Has she gone to his house?’
‘I don’t know; they would not let me follow; but a message to the house might reach her. Let us send and bring her back.’
Duncan turned from his daughter, and went out into the night.
In an hour he returned, and went straight to his room. He made no effort to see his family, but met them at dinner in the usual way. He seemed to acquiesce in the silence of the hour. When Bethia had gone he spoke.
‘I direct you shall none of you take your eyes from my face until what I say has sunk into your minds. My second wife has left my roof, with a man whose name I need not speak, as he will not henceforth be named. It is enough to say that I found a message at his house. I will have no word of it from any one of you, at this time, at a future time, at any time in our lives, or in your lives after mine. You will not speak her name in my 201 hearing or in my house. I command you to put it from your lips, from your minds, from your memories. You will think of your mother as my wife. I do not ask if you will obey me. Your remaining in my house may be your sign. Your meaning to me is that you will.’
He rose to leave the room, and Nance spoke.
‘Father, how much of the whole truth is known?’
Duncan turned to meet her eyes, and answered in a quiet, firm tone, with a note of equality and respect.
‘The secret you have kept in the house is safe, and should remain. It will hardly pass the lips of any who know it. It will not pass mine, as it has not yours.’