CHAPTER IIA RUMOUR
Thatevening John wrote a letter to his sister, Mrs. Darcy, who lived in Ireland. The letter contained the following paragraphs:
“I am going down to Malford on Tuesday, an out-of-the-way spot near Whortley. Corin Elmore—the painter fellow, you know who I mean—has bothered me into it. He has got a job there, uncovering and restoring the mural paintings in a pre-reformation church. All seems grist that comes to his mill. Apparently the only attractions the place has to offer are gorgeous scenery, and later a superabundance of blackberries, if I choose to await their ripening. I don’t know for how long I shall find such attractions all-satisfying.“Address after Tuesday next till further notice, The White Cottage, Malford, near Whortley.“I hope Maurice and the kiddies are flourishing.“Your loving brother, John.”
“I am going down to Malford on Tuesday, an out-of-the-way spot near Whortley. Corin Elmore—the painter fellow, you know who I mean—has bothered me into it. He has got a job there, uncovering and restoring the mural paintings in a pre-reformation church. All seems grist that comes to his mill. Apparently the only attractions the place has to offer are gorgeous scenery, and later a superabundance of blackberries, if I choose to await their ripening. I don’t know for how long I shall find such attractions all-satisfying.
“Address after Tuesday next till further notice, The White Cottage, Malford, near Whortley.
“I hope Maurice and the kiddies are flourishing.
“Your loving brother, John.”
The morning before he left town John received a reply to his letter.
“A sojourn, even for a short space, in such a remote region sounds extraordinarily unlike you. Perhaps it will have its compensations. You will deserve them, as I am sure you are doing this entirely on Mr. Elmore’s account. I wonder if you will chance to meet the Delanceys. From all I have heard Lady Mary must be a charming woman, and I once met her granddaughter, Rosamund Delancey. She is an exceedingly pretty girl. Maurice raved about her in a way that might have made a younger, and less experienced, woman than myself jealous.“I heard an extraordinary rumour some weeks ago regarding the Delancey estate,—that an American claimant had turned up. Personally I gave little credence to the report. It savours too much of melodrama for this prosaic twentieth century. My informant had her facts pat enough, though. But it is too long a story to deal with in a letter, certainly too long when it is, as I believe, pure fiction. Anyhow there’s a missing document, a murder, and a wolf-hound connected with it. True Adelphi melodrama![Pg 19]“I hope you may chance to meet the Delanceys....”
“A sojourn, even for a short space, in such a remote region sounds extraordinarily unlike you. Perhaps it will have its compensations. You will deserve them, as I am sure you are doing this entirely on Mr. Elmore’s account. I wonder if you will chance to meet the Delanceys. From all I have heard Lady Mary must be a charming woman, and I once met her granddaughter, Rosamund Delancey. She is an exceedingly pretty girl. Maurice raved about her in a way that might have made a younger, and less experienced, woman than myself jealous.
“I heard an extraordinary rumour some weeks ago regarding the Delancey estate,—that an American claimant had turned up. Personally I gave little credence to the report. It savours too much of melodrama for this prosaic twentieth century. My informant had her facts pat enough, though. But it is too long a story to deal with in a letter, certainly too long when it is, as I believe, pure fiction. Anyhow there’s a missing document, a murder, and a wolf-hound connected with it. True Adelphi melodrama!
“I hope you may chance to meet the Delanceys....”
John glanced up at a small statue of Our Lady, which stood on his mantelpiece.
“Blessed Lady,” he said aloud in a tone at once respectful, fervent, and charmingly friendly, “join your prayers to her hopes.”