CHAPTER XV.DANGERS AHEAD.
‘M
atilda,’said Bertha Belassis, ‘don’t you think it rather odd that Sir Herbert Moncrieff was so sure that Phil was Mr. Torwood?’
‘Was he so sure? I fancied he had only made a mistake. Philip didn’t seem to think it so very odd. I suppose they have been mistaken for one another before.’
‘Yes; but he spoke of it again to me afterwards; and did I tell you about Maud?’
‘No. What?’
‘I don’t think I thought of it at the time particularly; but afterwards, turning it over in my mind, I couldn’t help thinking it rather strange.’
‘What?’ questioned Matilda impatiently. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
‘Well, I’m just going to tell you. We were walking about the grounds, Sir Herbert and I (he really was very attentive to me, Matilda!), when we came across Maud, talking and laughing with some fellow, and looking quite pretty and animated. I noticed Sir Herbert looked at her rather hard, and, when we had passed, he said: “I think I cannot be mistaken in identifying that lady as Miss Torwood? She is so like her brother.” I stared at him, and said: “That is my cousin, Maud Debenham; but I do not think she is at all like Philip.” He looked quite flustered and puzzled for a bit, and said slowly: “Let me think; I can’t make it out. That lady is exceedingly like a man whom I believed to be Philip Debenham, and sheisMiss Debenham! But the man is not a Debenham at all, but Torwood—I had confused the two fellows. Odd coincidence, isn’t it?” He laughed, and then passed the matter off, as though he had been surprised into saying something rather strange, and wanted it forgotten. I didn’t trouble my head about it at the time. It didn’t seem to me to matter much, if Maud did happen to be rather like Mr. Torwood. But when one comes to thinkover it all, it does seem rather odd, doesn’t it? Everyone says Phil isn’t a bit like a Debenham.’
‘Goodness gracious, Bertha! don’t go putting notions into people’s heads!’ cried Matilda, in some alarm. ‘It can’t be anything but Sir Herbert’s stupidity—or, perhaps, some spite against poor Phil. It would be very awkward for him to have such things said of him; and papa and mamma would be simply offensive if they could get hold of anything and trump up a story. Mamma would be delighted to try and make out that Phil wasn’t Phil at all, but an impostor. There’s nothing too nasty for her to say or do when she’s disagreeable, which she mostly is now.’
‘Good gracious, Matilda! you’re out-Heroding Herod, talking about impostors. Why, how could Phil be that? He’s got everything, and knows everything needful to identify him! Of course he’s Phil! How could he be anybody else? But, of course, I shan’t say a word to Mamma or anybody. If she were to get hold of such an idea, there would be no peace for anyone. And I’m sure nobody could be kinder or nicer than Phil; and whoeverhe is, we don’t want him changed for anybody else.’
An odd sort of fancy was suggesting itself to the minds of both girls; but they did not choose to give it words even to themselves. Neither of them had relinquished the hope of becoming the mistress of the Manor, and Tor’s pleasant, flattering, cousinly air kept him a prime favourite with both sisters. At the present moment, neither would have moved hand or foot, if by so doing any annoyance could fall upon him; but if jealousy or dislike should be stirred up in either heart, it was altogether uncertain how any secret might be preserved.
‘It couldn’t possibly be, you know,’ said Bertha, with a laugh, not specifying what the ‘it’ might be. ‘It’s not possible, of course. But it will be fun to tease Phil about it, just to see what he says.’
‘I’d advise you not to say anything at all about it,’ said Matilda. ‘You’ll only annoy him.’
‘Nonsense! Phil and I are capital friends. He likes fun as much as I do.’
‘Well, do as you like,’ returned Matilda,thinking to herself that if Bertha chose to go and spoil her own chances, it might not be such a bad thing for somebody else.
‘Yes, I mean to. I like chaffing Phil, and he likes it too.’
Bertha, on her part, was thinking that she might do worse than have a secret with her handsome cousin, for he could not but perceive the awkwardness of Sir Herbert Moncrieff’s suggestion; and if—— But not even to herself did the girl complete that train of thought.
The next time she had her cousin to herself, she put her threat into execution.
‘Phil,’ she began, looking up at him archly, ‘don’t you think that was a very odd mistake of Sir Herbert Moncrieff’s the other day?’
‘What mistake? Taking me for Torwood? Well, yes—rather, perhaps. It all comes of that lazy beggar Tor giving me all the work to do, whilst everything went down in his name, as he had the money, you know.’
‘Oh, I see,’ said Bertha, her half-formed theory fading a little before his quiet nonchalance. ‘You used always to act for him, did you?’
‘Well, yes, mostly. He’s a lazy beggar, as I said before, and was ready to let anybody and everybody cheat him. So I generally made the bargains, and wrote the orders, and signed everything “Torwood;” so naturally I got taken for him, and then Tor would say: “Oh, don’t bother to undeceive them, or they’ll all come pestering me. Let me be Phil Debenham, insignificant and dependent.” Of course the old chap had to have his own way.’
Tor’s voice expressed a quiet amusement and an obvious mimicry which was irresistible. Bertha laughed, and felt her suspicions vanishing.
‘I wonder, then, what made Sir Herbert think Maud so very like Mr. Torwood—the one he had always thought Phil Debenham, you know.’
‘Did he think that?’ asked Tor lazily.
‘Yes. Are they alike really?’
‘Tor and Maud alike,’ said Tor slowly and reflectively. ‘I don’t know that it ever struck me; but some people have a faculty for seeing likenesses; I don’t think I possess it. Let me see: well, perhaps there is a sort of similarityin style, hair and eyes the same colour, and he has rather that oval-shaped face of hers; but I think the likeness begins and ends there. I think Maud is uncommonly good-looking, and Tor never set up for being a beauty. Well, when he comes over here on a visit, we will put them together and see if there is a visible likeness. I rather imagine it exists only in Sir Herbert Moncrieff’s imagination.’
Tor spoke with such frank and easy coolness that Bertha was disarmed. Her confidence in her own penetration convinced her that she should have detected him at once, had he been the least bit startled or embarrassed, and he had not evinced the faintest sign of being the one or the other.
One more attempt did she make to force his confidence.
‘Of course I don’t mean to say anything of this to anybody, Phil.’
‘Why not?’
Bertha gave her head an expressive shake.
‘I thought it might be awkward for you.’
Tor laughed in his mirthful way.
‘Why on earth? I think it’s rather a good joke. How could it be awkward for me, fair cousin?’
‘Oh, I don’t know. It was only a silly fancy of mine,’ answered Bertha confusedly; for in the light of Tor’s cool, unconcerned demeanour, her suspicions did look both foolish and uncalled for. ‘All the same, I shan’t talk about it, because I shouldn’t like anyone else to fancy such things.’
‘Fancies are harmless luxuries, are they not? I am sure I have no wish to stand in the way of anyone’s imagination,’ answered Tor lazily. ‘At the same time, let me thank you for your evident goodwill on my behalf; I shall not forget that you have wished to stand between me and even an imaginary annoyance. I appreciate your consideration, my dear cousin.’
Bertha smiled and blushed, and felt greatly delighted at having provoked such words as these. He had not even guessed at the ridiculous blunder she had made, and had been quite grateful for her confidence.
Bertha was more than ever determined tokeep her secret, whether he cared for its preservation or not, so that he would not have cause to think she had made a vain promise, which she intended to break.
Tor’s face was somewhat grave and preoccupied as he walked home. Could Bertha have seen him then, she might have fancied her words had made a deeper impression than she believed at the time. However, his meditations ended after all in a laugh.
‘Possession is nine points of the law. They would find it rather a difficult matter to oust me now, even if they got the clue; and it’s too nasty a charge to bring up on insufficient evidence. Young Moncrieff’s recognition and ideas as to likeness are about all that could turn up against me—that, or similar identifications. Old Belassis is too much afraid of me to proceed, unless he was sure of his cause, and in any case he would think twice before getting quite out at elbows with me. I don’t think I need be much afraid. I am learning the art of brazening things out finely. Practice makes perfect. By the time old Phil comes round, I dare say I could stand him out that he was I, and I he, if he weren’t so completelythe Debenham, and so like Maud. I wish he would come soon, I know. I’m uncommonly tired of playing the brother’s part, and waiting her pleasure as to young Belassis; though I don’t believe she will marry him, when it comes to the point.’
Tor was so far settled down in his new life, and to his assumed character, that he played the part quite naturally and without any effort. He was interested in the farm-work upon the estate, and entered into it with great zest. He had been long enough in America to learn the use and value of machines almost unknown to the rustic population of Ladywell, and he made a few daring innovations, which were at first the laughing-stock, and then the wonder and admiration of all the people round.
Certainly his management, combined with the good season, made agricultural matters look up again; and the bailiff told him, with wonder and delight, that this year he believed the farm would pay its way, and not be a loss. He was disappointed that Tor was not as rapturously enthusiastic at this news as he should have been, and discovered that the youngsquire laboured under the delusion that farms were profitable concerns.
But the quiet course of country life never seemed to run smoothly for very long together. Tor was not permitted to enjoy Phil’s rights undisturbed for any protracted period. The next blow was dealt him from quite an unexpected quarter.
One day he received by the morning’s post a letter bearing the postmark ‘Whitbury.’ It was a square envelope, in thick, creamy paper, and bore a handsome coat-of-arms upon it, in place of a crest, by which Tor imagined his correspondent to be a lady, and a lady of some social standing.
He turned the letter over and over, with a puzzled expression of countenance.
‘Whitbury, Whitbury,’ he mused; ‘surely that name is familiar—it seems associated with my dim recollections of my father. Why, yes, I have it now. That is the name of the place where I was born—where that house of mine is. To be sure that’s it. But who can be writing to Phil from there? It can’t surely be on any business of mine. The agent sees to all that. I know nothing aboutit. Well, I’d better open the letter and see.’
Suiting the action to the words, Tor cut open the envelope, and read the missive enclosed.
‘Sir,‘I have been informed by Mr. Torwood’s agent that during some indisposition, from which he is suffering, you are acting for him in a business capacity. To you, then, I must appeal upon a matter of business which threatens to become pressing.‘I am a tenant of Mr. Torwood’s, and the lease of this house, which I have occupied for twenty-eight years, is all but run out. I am anxious to renew it, and that upon equitable terms; but I do not like Mr. Torwood’s agent, and I am sure he will not fairly represent to his client the state of the case, and will propose terms which are only advantageous to him, without being just to me. I always do dislike middle-men, and I am quite determined that this matter shall be settled without having recourse to them.‘I know that if Mr. Torwood were able todo so, he would be willing to undertake the trouble of a journey to Whitbury, to see his father’s old friend, and do her a kindness. I cannot tell how far you, his deputy, are prepared to act, but can only say that I should esteem a visit as a personal favour, and should be extremely obliged if you would come and see me and the house, and ascertain for yourself the true state of the case. I feel convinced that we should then have no difficulty in coming to terms as to the new lease, for my wish is to have justice on both sides.‘I trust that you will grant me the favour I ask.‘Yours faithfully,‘Marjory Descartes.‘Minster House, Whitbury.’Tor pulled vigorously at his moustache, and paced the room thoughtfully. He was alone, for he had been out upon the farm early, and had come in before the breakfast-hour, and the ladies were not yet down.‘Marjory Descartes! yes, I remember the name. My father spoke to me sometimes of Mr. Descartes and Miss Marjory. She is evidently Miss Marjory still. Why, of courseshe may have the house on any terms she likes to propose. I believe I’ve had somewhere about a hundred a year from it all this while. I’ll renew the lease on the same terms if she likes. It would be a shame to try and “do” a good tenant, such as she has always been. But I don’t see exactly why I need go down in person to tender this assurance; not that there could be any danger to myincog., as I haven’t been there since I was a baby: but I don’t see any good in mixing myself up more than is needful with my own affairs just now; and Wetherby might know me, if I were to come across him, as I have seen him from time to time, though not for many years now. I shouldn’t mind seeing the place and the house at all; but I’ll put it off, I think, until I can go as Torwood, not as Debenham. I’ll write to Miss Marjory, and guarantee that she shall not be disturbed or annoyed. I think that ought to satisfy her.’So Tor, during the course of the day, penned the following neat little epistle:‘Dear Madam,‘I have received your letter about the house of my friend Mr. Torwood, which yourent, and am in a position to assure you that you have nothing to fear in your dealings with him. I hope, before very long, he will have recovered his health, and be able to pay his respects to you in person; and meantime I shall write to the agent to let him know that things are to go on as they are for a year. By that time Mr. Torwood will have resumed the management of his own affairs, and will be able to settle with you the terms of the new lease, which I am sure he will draw up so as to meet your views.‘I trust this guarantee on my part will relieve you from all further anxiety. If my going to Whitbury could be of any service to you, I should be very pleased to accept your kind invitation; but if I take the steps I propose, I do not see what advantage would be gained by my doing so.‘I shall acquaint Mr. Torwood with what has passed, as soon as he is in a fit state to attend to business matters.‘Yours faithfully,‘Philip Debenham.‘Ladywell Manor.’‘There, I think that will satisfy the oldlady,’ said Tor, as he folded and addressed his letter. ‘How things come back to one! I can remember how often my father spoke of Miss Marjory, and how much he seemed to admire her force of character and determination. I must certainly go and see her some day when I have cast off my shell; but I will wait for that first, and goin propriâ personâ.’Tor had yet to learn the extent of Miss Marjory’s force of character.Two or three days later came another Whitbury letter.‘Confound the old girl!’ thought Tor irreverently. ‘What can she want now?’That the letter speedily explained.‘Dear Sir,‘I am grateful for your prompt and courteous reply to my letter; but at the same time there is so much I wish to say to Mr. Torwood or his deputy, that I cannot feel satisfied without a personal interview. Women, as you know, are fidgety creatures, and I share this weakness. Mr. Torwood’s illness seems a serious matter, by what I gather; and I donot like waiting and suspense. There are several things I want done about the place, and I do not like to settle anything until I can see my landlord. You stand towards me in that position just now, and therefore I want to see you. You are a gentleman, which the agent is not; and I can deal with you, as I cannot possibly do with him.‘I trust that you will humour this fancy of mine, and come over at your early convenience. I think when we meet, I can convince you that it is not a mere freak of imagination that a personal inspection is necessary. Besides which, now is the time for working. Our hard winter frosts prevent any kind of building-work during a great part of the year.‘If you will kindly consent to come, and will name your day and train, I will see that you are met at the station; and if you will spend the night here, instead of at the hotel, you will be doing me an additional pleasure. The journey cannot be taken twice upon the same day.‘Yours sincerely,‘Marjory Descartes.‘Minster House, Whitbury.’
‘Sir,
‘I have been informed by Mr. Torwood’s agent that during some indisposition, from which he is suffering, you are acting for him in a business capacity. To you, then, I must appeal upon a matter of business which threatens to become pressing.
‘I am a tenant of Mr. Torwood’s, and the lease of this house, which I have occupied for twenty-eight years, is all but run out. I am anxious to renew it, and that upon equitable terms; but I do not like Mr. Torwood’s agent, and I am sure he will not fairly represent to his client the state of the case, and will propose terms which are only advantageous to him, without being just to me. I always do dislike middle-men, and I am quite determined that this matter shall be settled without having recourse to them.
‘I know that if Mr. Torwood were able todo so, he would be willing to undertake the trouble of a journey to Whitbury, to see his father’s old friend, and do her a kindness. I cannot tell how far you, his deputy, are prepared to act, but can only say that I should esteem a visit as a personal favour, and should be extremely obliged if you would come and see me and the house, and ascertain for yourself the true state of the case. I feel convinced that we should then have no difficulty in coming to terms as to the new lease, for my wish is to have justice on both sides.
‘I trust that you will grant me the favour I ask.
‘Yours faithfully,‘Marjory Descartes.
‘Minster House, Whitbury.’
‘Minster House, Whitbury.’
Tor pulled vigorously at his moustache, and paced the room thoughtfully. He was alone, for he had been out upon the farm early, and had come in before the breakfast-hour, and the ladies were not yet down.
‘Marjory Descartes! yes, I remember the name. My father spoke to me sometimes of Mr. Descartes and Miss Marjory. She is evidently Miss Marjory still. Why, of courseshe may have the house on any terms she likes to propose. I believe I’ve had somewhere about a hundred a year from it all this while. I’ll renew the lease on the same terms if she likes. It would be a shame to try and “do” a good tenant, such as she has always been. But I don’t see exactly why I need go down in person to tender this assurance; not that there could be any danger to myincog., as I haven’t been there since I was a baby: but I don’t see any good in mixing myself up more than is needful with my own affairs just now; and Wetherby might know me, if I were to come across him, as I have seen him from time to time, though not for many years now. I shouldn’t mind seeing the place and the house at all; but I’ll put it off, I think, until I can go as Torwood, not as Debenham. I’ll write to Miss Marjory, and guarantee that she shall not be disturbed or annoyed. I think that ought to satisfy her.’
So Tor, during the course of the day, penned the following neat little epistle:
‘Dear Madam,‘I have received your letter about the house of my friend Mr. Torwood, which yourent, and am in a position to assure you that you have nothing to fear in your dealings with him. I hope, before very long, he will have recovered his health, and be able to pay his respects to you in person; and meantime I shall write to the agent to let him know that things are to go on as they are for a year. By that time Mr. Torwood will have resumed the management of his own affairs, and will be able to settle with you the terms of the new lease, which I am sure he will draw up so as to meet your views.‘I trust this guarantee on my part will relieve you from all further anxiety. If my going to Whitbury could be of any service to you, I should be very pleased to accept your kind invitation; but if I take the steps I propose, I do not see what advantage would be gained by my doing so.‘I shall acquaint Mr. Torwood with what has passed, as soon as he is in a fit state to attend to business matters.‘Yours faithfully,‘Philip Debenham.‘Ladywell Manor.’
‘Dear Madam,
‘I have received your letter about the house of my friend Mr. Torwood, which yourent, and am in a position to assure you that you have nothing to fear in your dealings with him. I hope, before very long, he will have recovered his health, and be able to pay his respects to you in person; and meantime I shall write to the agent to let him know that things are to go on as they are for a year. By that time Mr. Torwood will have resumed the management of his own affairs, and will be able to settle with you the terms of the new lease, which I am sure he will draw up so as to meet your views.
‘I trust this guarantee on my part will relieve you from all further anxiety. If my going to Whitbury could be of any service to you, I should be very pleased to accept your kind invitation; but if I take the steps I propose, I do not see what advantage would be gained by my doing so.
‘I shall acquaint Mr. Torwood with what has passed, as soon as he is in a fit state to attend to business matters.
‘Yours faithfully,‘Philip Debenham.
‘Ladywell Manor.’
‘There, I think that will satisfy the oldlady,’ said Tor, as he folded and addressed his letter. ‘How things come back to one! I can remember how often my father spoke of Miss Marjory, and how much he seemed to admire her force of character and determination. I must certainly go and see her some day when I have cast off my shell; but I will wait for that first, and goin propriâ personâ.’
Tor had yet to learn the extent of Miss Marjory’s force of character.
Two or three days later came another Whitbury letter.
‘Confound the old girl!’ thought Tor irreverently. ‘What can she want now?’
That the letter speedily explained.
‘Dear Sir,‘I am grateful for your prompt and courteous reply to my letter; but at the same time there is so much I wish to say to Mr. Torwood or his deputy, that I cannot feel satisfied without a personal interview. Women, as you know, are fidgety creatures, and I share this weakness. Mr. Torwood’s illness seems a serious matter, by what I gather; and I donot like waiting and suspense. There are several things I want done about the place, and I do not like to settle anything until I can see my landlord. You stand towards me in that position just now, and therefore I want to see you. You are a gentleman, which the agent is not; and I can deal with you, as I cannot possibly do with him.‘I trust that you will humour this fancy of mine, and come over at your early convenience. I think when we meet, I can convince you that it is not a mere freak of imagination that a personal inspection is necessary. Besides which, now is the time for working. Our hard winter frosts prevent any kind of building-work during a great part of the year.‘If you will kindly consent to come, and will name your day and train, I will see that you are met at the station; and if you will spend the night here, instead of at the hotel, you will be doing me an additional pleasure. The journey cannot be taken twice upon the same day.‘Yours sincerely,‘Marjory Descartes.
‘Dear Sir,
‘I am grateful for your prompt and courteous reply to my letter; but at the same time there is so much I wish to say to Mr. Torwood or his deputy, that I cannot feel satisfied without a personal interview. Women, as you know, are fidgety creatures, and I share this weakness. Mr. Torwood’s illness seems a serious matter, by what I gather; and I donot like waiting and suspense. There are several things I want done about the place, and I do not like to settle anything until I can see my landlord. You stand towards me in that position just now, and therefore I want to see you. You are a gentleman, which the agent is not; and I can deal with you, as I cannot possibly do with him.
‘I trust that you will humour this fancy of mine, and come over at your early convenience. I think when we meet, I can convince you that it is not a mere freak of imagination that a personal inspection is necessary. Besides which, now is the time for working. Our hard winter frosts prevent any kind of building-work during a great part of the year.
‘If you will kindly consent to come, and will name your day and train, I will see that you are met at the station; and if you will spend the night here, instead of at the hotel, you will be doing me an additional pleasure. The journey cannot be taken twice upon the same day.
‘Yours sincerely,‘Marjory Descartes.
‘Minster House, Whitbury.’
‘I suppose I must go now,’ said Tor, half aloud.
‘Go where?’ asked Maud.
‘To Yorkshire, on some business of poor Tor’s.’
Maud put on an air of reproach.
‘You are always tearing off somewhere, Phil. Why must you go? Can’t you write?’
‘I did try to do it by writing; but I find it won’t do.’
‘I wish that old Tor would come back, and do his work for himself,’ cried Maud.
‘So do I,’ answered Tor, so fervently that Maud looked at him and asked:
‘Is it disagreeable business, then, Phil?’
‘Oh no! not bad; only some business with a tenant about a house of his. But I’m shy, you know; and she’s a lady, and I know she’ll get her own way with me, to the detriment of Tor’s pocket.’
‘Take me with you, poor, shy little boy!’ laughed Maud; ‘I’ll see you’re not bullied.’
‘I should like to take you well enough; only I’m to be her guest, and couldn’t bring a sister very well.’
‘How did she know to write to you?’
‘The agent told her I was acting for Tor.’
‘Oh; and how is Tor, Phil? You never speak of him.’
‘He’s much the same; very queer and seedy. I must go and see after him one of these days.’
‘Everybody says you ought to bring him to England to be doctored,’ said Maud, flushing up a little. ‘It makes me quite angry, but they keep on saying that you ought not to leave him alone, and ill, when he did so much for you. I know it’s all right ifyoudo it; but I can’t stop people’s mouths, and it is so horrid. I wish you would bring him over, Phil.’
‘I will, as soon as ever I can; but he is not well enough yet to travel. He is under one of the best men in Germany, and I don’t believe any English physician could do more for him. Don’t you worry over what people say, little sister. I know that you will trust me through thick and thin, and that is all I care for.’
‘I will, I do!’ cried Maud, with enthusiasm; and Mrs. Lorraine’s gentle voice added:
‘I think nobody who really knows dear Philip could do otherwise.’
Tor looked pleased, and bent down to kiss his aunt.
‘I think I have made at least two staunch friends, who will stand by me through everything.’
‘Of course!’ cried Maud, with energy; ‘but why should you talk as if you might need people to stand by you? And why don’t you kiss me too?’
He laughed, and turned again to his letter.
‘I’ll write at once, and fix to-morrow. Best get the business over as early as possible.’
So his note was written accepting Miss Marjory’s hospitality; and Tor made a few preparations, consulted Bradshaw, and arranged to leave in the morning and return the following afternoon.
‘I hope this affair will not lead to any more complications,’ he said to himself, when seated in the train. ‘I have quite enough on my hands without that; but I don’t see how it can. Not a soul there knows me, so I think I may feel quite safe.’