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"You haven't seen her, Miss Inez," he says. "It is a fearful sight but will you come down?" He almost dreads a refusal, but she does not refuse. "I will go down," she answers, and turns at once to go. The servants stand huddled together in the centre of the room. It lies there, in its dreadful quiet, before them. Every eye turns darkly upon Miss Catheron as she comes in. She never sees them.
"There is," Inez answered, turning from the window, and facing her aunt. "The servants suspect me." "Inez!" "Their case isn't a bad one as they make it out," pursued Miss Catheron, cooly. "There was ill blood between us. It is of no use denying it. I hated her with my whole heart. I was the last person seen coming out of the room, fifteen minutes before they found her dead.
"What God hath joined together, let no man put asunder." It is all over; she is Lady Catheron, and nothing has happened. They enter the vestry, they sign their names in the register, their friends flock round to shake hands, and kiss, and congratulate. And Edith smiles through it all, and Sir Victor keeps that white, haggard, unsmiling face.
My husband's mother may have been the daughter of a marquis my son's mother is the daughter of a tradesman the name that has been good enough for me will be good enough for him. I have yet to learn there is any disgrace in honest trade." Miss Catheron smiled once more, a smile more stinging than words. "No doubt. You have many things yet to learn, I am quite sure.
For you," lowering her voice, "we must save you in spite of yourself. You shall never stand your trial at the assizes." Miss Catheron looked wistfully at the heavily bolted and barred window. "I should like to be saved," she said, wearily, "at any other price than that of speaking. Once I thought I would die sooner than stoop to run away a fortnight's imprisonment changes all that.
I never sought out Sir Victor Catheron, either in New York, on board ship, or elsewhere. If he had been a prince, instead of a baronet, I would not have done it. I have borne a great deal, but even you may go too far, Trixy. Sir Victor has done me the honor of falling in love with me for he does love me, and he has asked me to be his wife.
He was gone and for a moment silence reigned. Lights burned, flowers bloomed, crystal and silver shone, rare wines and rich fruits glowed. But a skeleton sat at the feast. Juan Catheron had done many evil deeds in his lifetime, but never a more dastardly deed than to-night. There was a flash of intolerable triumph in the dark eyes of Inez.
Give my love to Lady Helena; but I will never go back I will never accept a farthing from Sir Victor Catheron. Don't come here more don't let him come." Again her eyes gleamed. "There is neither sorrow nor pity for him in my heart. It is like a stone where he is concerned, and always will be always, though he lay dying before me. Now, farewell." Then the door opened and closed, and she was gone.
"This secrecy has lasted long enough," Lady Catheron said, a resolute-looking expression crossing her pretty, soft-cut mouth. "The time has come when you must speak. Don't make me think you are ashamed of me, or afraid of her. Take me home it is my right; acknowledge your son it is his. When there was only I, it did not so much matter it is different now."
Ethel, Lady Catheron, lay with folded hands and sealed lips in the grim old vaults, and a parchment and a monument in Chesholm Church recorded her name and age no more. So for the present it had ended. It had been a week of ceaseless rain the whole country side was sodden.
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