England -- Social life and customs -- 19th century -- Fiction; Short stories, English
But it was Charlotte herself. Upon hearing Gwinny's report she had
insisted upon coming home--and Nave supported her views. That stupid old
Grizzel, left to her own devices, might be for getting frightened and
call in half the parish. The doctor in attendance at the Rill had said
Mrs. Caromel might go home if she had any urgent reason for wishing
it--and here she was. And really she seemed tolerably well again; quite
herself.
Passing Grizzel with a nod, she went straight upstairs, opened Nash's
door, and then--drew back with a scream. For there she saw two
strangers. Mr. Duffham was leaning over the bed, trying to feed Nash
with spoonfuls of beef-tea; Parson Holland (who had stayed with Nash all
night) sat by the fire. Poor Nash himself lay without motion: the hours
were very limited now.
Well, there ensued a commotion. Charlotte Nave went down to blow up
Grizzel; and she did it well, in spite of her recent illness. Grizzel
answered that she was not to blame; it was not she who had betrayed
him: Dobbs the blacksmith and Squire Todhetley had found him out, and
the Squire had called in Duffham. Charlotte the Second had to make the
best of a bad case; but she did not suspect half the treachery that had
been at work.
There is no space to enlarge upon the day. Nash died that night; without
having been able to speak a word to Charlotte the Second; he was past
that when she came; though he shook hands with her.
And the other funeral, which Miss Nave had foreseen a difficulty over,
took place without any difficulty. Unless it might be said that the
crowd made one. Nash Caromel dead a second time! Church Dykely had never
been astounded like this.
But the one dire act of treachery had to come out yet. Nash Caromel had
made a fresh will. Crow the lawyer brought it in his pocket when he came
from Evesham to attend the funeral, and he read it aloud afterwards.
Mrs. Nash the Second sat biting her lips as she listened.
Caromel's Farm and everything upon it, every stick and stone possessed
by Nash, was directed to be sold without delay. Of the money this should
realize, the one half was devised to "my dear wife Charlotte, formerly
Charlotte Tinkle;" the other half was to be invested by trustees and
settled upon "my child, Duncan Nave." His mother, Charlotte Nave, was to
receive a stated portion of the interest for life, or until she should
marry again; and that was all the will said about Charlotte the Second.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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