Boardinghouses -- Fiction; Inheritance and succession -- Fiction; Murder -- Investigation -- Fiction; Mystery and detective stories
Six months later George Vane was seated in the library of the mansion
in St. Giles Square. It was after dinner, and Lord Derrington occupied
his usual chair. The old man looked brighter and happier than he had
looked for many years. Daily George grew a greater favorite with him,
and on the morrow George was to be married. Lord Derrington had
insisted that as it was his last night as a bachelor George should
dine alone with him, and would not admit even Walter. "It's the last
time I'll have you all to myself, George," said the old man,
piteously; "after to-morrow Dorothy will possess you."
"Not at all," replied George, "you will have us both. We will come
back from the honeymoon in a month, and then we will live here."
"That's all been arranged," said Derrington, testily, "but we won't be
two independent bachelors."
"All the better," replied his grandson, cheerily; "a lady in the house
will make a lot of difference. You won't know this place when Dorothy
is flitting about."
"Don't! Her mother is the kind of woman who flits, and I won't have
her doing the butterfly business in that way."
"Oh, I don't think we'll be troubled much with Mrs. Ward. Since the
shock inflicted by her sister's sad death she has become religious."
"Bah! That's only a phrase. Poor Miss Bull," said Derrington. "I like
to think of her under that name. She had a sad life. I don't wonder
she killed herself. Do you think she was mad, George?"
"No. But I think the memory of her wrongs, which were all caused by
Mrs. Jersey, was too much for her. She was mad for the moment, but she
told me the terrible story in the calmest manner."
"And who came in at the front door that night?" asked Derrington.
"No one. After the murder Miss Bull opened it to fly--panic-struck, I
expect--but Margery came downstairs and stopped her. Miss Bull closed
the door and remained to face the worst."
"Well, she is dead and buried, and the scandal is laid at rest. Unless
that Bawdsey revives it."
"Oh, you can trust Bawdsey," said George, smiling; "he and Lola are
quite happy, and she has almost forgotten me. I got a letter from
Bawdsey the other day. He is acting as his wife's agent, and they are
making a lot of money."
"All the better. He won't talk about that business. By the way, I
forgot to ask you about Ireland's money?"
"The money he left to me? I have settled that on Dorothy. How suddenly
he died," said George, reflectively; "just an hour after I left the
house. I hope his end was peace. I think it was, as he felt relieved
that you and I had forgiven him."
"There was nothing to forgive. It was an accident, and if any blame is
due it is to that Jersey woman."
"Well, she is dead, and the woman who killed her is dead, so let them
all rest in peace. But it was good of Ireland leaving me his money."
"I don't see who else he had to leave it to. And five thousand a year
is not to be despised. Have you settled it all on Dorothy?"
"Every penny. Don't you approve?"
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account