III. HOW THE WILL WAS FOUND.
MRS. Calverley, as already intimated, had sent a telegraphic message from London to Mr. Carteret, desiring him to come to her next morning at Ousel-croft; and she gave him a hint of the business on which she wished to consult him, by mentioning that she expected Lord Courland.
Accordingly, about ten o'clock next morning, in compliance with the summons he had received, Mr. Carteret made his appearance, and was conducted by Norris to the cabinet just described, where he found the beautiful widow seated at a desk, with writing materials before her.
“I am so much obliged to you for coming to me, Mr. Carteret,” she said, giving him a very warm welcome. “I want to see you most particularly. Pray sit down!”
“If I am not mistaken, madam, you are about to form an important matrimonial alliance?” he remarked.
“You have guessed rightly, Mr. Carteret,” she said, with a smile. “I went up to town a few days ago perfectly free, and have returned engaged.”
“To Lord Courland?”
“To his lordship.”
“Accept my congratulations,” he said, rather gravely. “But I am obliged to treat the affair as a matter of business, and must dismiss all sentiment. Does his lordship propose to make a handsome settlement upon you?”
“No doubt he would, if it were in his power; but he is unable to do so.”
“I feared not,”' replied Carteret. “But I hope he doesn't expect a settlement to be made on him?”
“I rather think he does,” replied the lady.
“But surely you have not made any promise to this effect?” observed Carteret.
“Indeed, I have, sir,” she rejoined. “You look surprised. But I really could not do otherwise. I have promised to settle half my property upon him.”
“But how will you fulfil your promise?”
“I see no difficulty in the way,” she rejoined. “I have only to give you the necessary instructions.”
“If that were all, it would be easy enough. But I can scarcely conceive it possible you can be in ignorance of——”
“In ignorance of what?” she hastily interrupted.
“Of the clause in your late husband's will, which directs that in the event of your marrying again, the whole of the property shall go to Mildred. Thus you will have nothing more than the settlement made upon you before your marriage.”
“Is this so?” asked Mrs. Calverley, with some astonishment. “I was not aware of it.”
“It is exactly as I state,” he replied. “I am amazed to find you have not read the will.”
“I have read it,” she cried. “But I did not notice the clause you mention.”
“I will show it you in a moment if you will give me the will,” he said.
“I fear the will has been stolen,” she rejoined.
“Stolen?” he ejaculated.
“Yes; I wished to refer to it last evening, but could not find it.”
“Had you put it in a safe place?”
“I put it in one of the drawers of this escritoire. The drawers were all locked, but the will was gone!”
“Have you examined the drawers to-day?” asked Carteret.
“I have not, because I consider further search completely useless.”
“I should like to satisfy myself before making inquiries,” said Carteret.
Mrs. Calverley unlocked the top drawer, and opened it, and had no sooner done so, than Mr. Carteret sprang forward, exclaiming:
“Why, there it is!”
Had it come there by magic?
Mrs. Calverley could scarcely believe her eyes.
“Are you certain you examined this drawer?” said Carteret.
“Quite. Laura searched it after me.”
“But how came the will back?”
“That I cannot explain,” replied Mrs. Calverley. “But it is clear one of the servants has a key that fits this lock. I scarcely like to say so—but I suspect Norris.”
“I can't believe the old man capable of such an act,” said Carteret. “However, we'll speak of that presently. First, let me convince you that my statement in regard to the will is correct. Here is the clause. It is at the very end of the instrument:—'And I hereby declare that if my dear wife, Teresa, shall marry again, without the consent in writing first had and obtained of my dear daughter Mildred, then, and in such case, the whole of my property hereby devised to my said wife, shall go and revert to my said daughter Mildred, anything heretofore expressed to the contrary notwithstanding.' Thus you see, madam,” he pursued, “if you marry again, all your property, which may be roughly estimated at five thousand pounds per annum, will go from you, and you will have nothing but your settlement. I cannot imagine how this important clause escaped you.”
“Neither can I,” said Mrs. Calverley.
“But it will now be necessary to decide whether you will sacrifice your present large income, or break off the important match you have just formed. I don't think you can have much hesitation. In my opinion, when Lord Courland learns how you are circumstanced, he will be anxious to retire.”
“I do not think so,” exclaimed Mrs. Calverley.
“Well, you will have an excellent opportunity of testing the sincerity of his affection.”
“I am taken quite by surprise, as you see, Mr. Carteret,” said Mrs. Calverley, who was greatly agitated, “and must have time for consideration before I can decide. I anticipate no difficulty.”
“It is certainly an awkward dilemma,” said Carteret; “but I don't see how you can get out of it, unless you are content to remain single. I quite thought you understood your position, or I should have ventured to give you some advice before.”
“I wish you had,” said Mrs. Calverley. “I little imagined Mildred held my destiny in her hands. She cannot be aware of her power?”
“I have no means of judging,” replied Carteret. “But I fancy not.”
“Then let her be kept in ignorance for a short time, till we are able to think the matter over. I cannot, will not give up Lord Courland—I love him!”
“That alters the case, madam.”
“But though I cannot give him up, I know not whether he is disinterested enough to take me with my small fortune.”
“Fifteen hundred a year is not a small fortune,” said Carteret, “and you have that, at any rate. If Lord Courland loves you as strongly as I am persuaded he does, I am sure he will be content with it.”
“But he has been led to expect more,” said Mrs. Calverley.
“Yes; that is unfortunate. His expectations having been raised so highly, a disappointment may ensue. But I do not anticipate a rupture is to be apprehended. Let me state that I did my best to prevent the introduction of this objectionable clause into the will. But my remonstrances were ineffectual, Mr. Calverley was determined. 'If she marries again, the property shall return to my family,' he said. So I was obliged to carry out his instructions. I know not what are your plans, madam, but my advice to you is to delay the marriage as long as you can, so that some arrangement may be made with Miss Calverley.”
“I will follow your advice, Mr. Carteret. But, when Mildred discovers her power, I think she will prove impracticable.”
“It may be so,” he rejoined. “But you are still mistress of the situation. She may prevent your marriage, but she can do nothing more. Evidently, she is in the dark at present. Keep this matter secret till you have concocted your plans; you will then be able to make a better arrangement.”
“But you forget that I have an enemy in the house. Whoever abstracted the will—and I still suspect Norris—-is in possession of the important secret, and will communicate it. That is certain.”
Struck by what she said, Mr. Carteret reflected for a few minutes.
“Under the circumstances, it may be well to keep on good terms with old Norris,” he said. “Chetwynd and Mildred, I find, are both absent, so that you need not apprehend immediate interference from either of them. Summon me, if you require my counsel, and I will come at once. I can render you no service just now. But mind! make no proposition to Mildred without consulting me.”
And he left the cabinet.
As he went out, he found Norris in the hall, and took the opportunity of speaking to him.
“Well, Norris,” he said, “you're going to have a great change in the house before long. How does it suit you?”
“Not at all, sir,” replied the old butler, who looked very gloomy. “I'd rather things remained as they are. But do you really think, sir, this marriage will take place?”
“What's to hinder it?” remarked Carteret, looking at him inquiringly.
“Nothing that I know of,” replied Norris; “but perhaps Mrs. Calverley may change her mind. She has got everything she wants now.”
“Except a husband!” replied Carteret, laughing.
“And he may cost too dear,” said Norris.
“Too dear! What do you mean?”
“A young nobleman is not to be had for nothing,” replied Norris.
“Well, Mrs. Calverley can afford to pay a high price for such a luxury, if she chooses,” said Carteret. “However, that's not the way to look at the matter, Norris. This is a very great match, and must be conducted in a befitting manner. A large settlement must necessarily be made.”
“I don't dispute that, sir,” said Norris. “But can a large settlement be made?”
“The rascal has read the will!” thought Carteret. “Of course it can!” he added, aloud. “Mrs. Calverley can do what she likes with her own.”
“Well, you ought to know better than me, sir,” said Norris; “but I fancy you're mistaken. I always understood my old master didn't wish his wife to marry again, and I concluded he would take precautions to prevent her doing so.”
“I wouldn't advise you to make such observations as those to any one but me, Norris,” said Carteret.
“Not even to Mr. Chetwynd, or Miss Mildred, sir?”
“I see what you are driving at, Norris; but you had better hold your tongue, and keep quiet; you'll do yourself no good by meddling in what does not concern you. Things are by no means settled. Most certainly, the marriage won't take place at present. Very likely it may not take place at all. But if it does, the testamentary directions will be strictly carried out.”
“That's all I wished to know, sir,” replied the butler. “I won't say a word more to any one.”
And he attended Mr. Carteret to the door, where the solicitor's mail-phaeton was waiting for him.