He had, as may be readily imagined, married the nobleman’s cast-off mistress for the purpose of his own personal aggrandisement.
It was not a very creditable course of procedure; nevertheless it is one which has been frequently adopted. Bourne had no very nice sense of honour, and not much self-respect, or he never would have acted as he had done throughout the greatest portion of his selfish life.
He now thought he saw his way out of the difficulty. He believed if he could obtain the certificate of the marriage of the two persons named, William Rawton and Hester Teige, his own marriage contract would be rendered thereby null and void.
The chances were that he would have found out that he was, after all, only deluding himself with false hopes; but he was very much charmed with the idea, and believed in its efficacy.
Bill Rawton was under the impression that the plea would not hold good—nevertheless, he was sorely troubled in his mind. There was no telling; he did not understand much about the law—certainly not that part of it which related to matrimonial and divorce suits, but he was determined not to throw a chance away. He felt that he had already done an incalculable amount of mischief, and was determined to repair the evil at all hazards.
How he proposed to do this we shall presently see.
While at the common lodging-house, he met with Cooney, whom the reader will remember as being connected with Gregson and Charles Peace in the Oakfield House burglary described in the opening chapters of this work.
We have had no occasion to take notice of Cooney since he was captured by Mr. Wrench in the bar of Sanderson’s hotel. Since that time Cooney had gone through a series of gradations in crime.
How he obtained his living when Bill Rawton lighted on him it would be difficult to say. He did not, however, appear to be in very prosperous circumstances, being, as of yore, very glad to turn his hand to anything.
The gipsy came to the conclusion he was just the man for his purpose; so he at once made a pal of him, and told him what he required him to do.