Detective and mystery stories; Fiction; Love stories
"Lady Wilmersley showed signs of returning consciousness at
half-past five yesterday afternoon. I was at once sent for, but
when I arrived she had fallen asleep. She woke again at nine
o'clock and this time asked where she was. She spoke
indistinctly and did not seem to comprehend what the nurse said
to her. When I reached the patient, I found her sitting up in
bed. Her pulse was irregular; her temperature, subnormal. I am
glad to be able to assure you that Lady Wilmersley is at
present perfectly rational. She is, however, suffering from
hysterical amnesia complicated by aphasia, but I trust this is
only a temporary affection. At first she hesitated over the
simplest words, but before I left she could talk with tolerable
fluency.
"I asked Lady Wilmersley whether she wished to see you. She has
not only forgotten that she has a husband but has no very clear
idea as to what a husband is. In fact, she appears to have
preserved no precise impression of anything. She did not even
remember her own name. When I told it to her, she said it
sounded familiar, only that she did not associate it with
herself. Of you personally she has no recollection, although I
described you as accurately as I could. However, as your name
is the only thing she even dimly recalls, I hope that when you
see her, you will be able to help her bridge the gulf which
separates her from the past.
"She seemed distressed at her condition, so I told her that she
had been ill and that it was not uncommon for convalescents to
suffer temporarily from loss of memory. When I left her, she
was perfectly calm.
"She slept well last night, and this morning she has no
difficulty in expressing herself, but I do not allow her to
talk much as she is still weak.
"I quite understand the delicacy of your position and
sympathise with you most deeply. Although I am anxious to try
what effect your presence will have on Lady Wilmersley, the
experiment can be safely postponed till to-morrow afternoon.
"I trust the inquest will clear up the mystery which surrounds
the late Lord Wilmersley's death.
"Believe me,
"Sincerely yours,
"A. STUART-SMITH."
Cyril stared at the letter aghast. If the girl herself had forgotten her
identity, how could he hope to find out the truth? He did not even dare
to instigate a secret inquiry--certainly not till the Geralton mystery
had been cleared up. And she believed herself to be his wife! It was too
awful!
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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