When she heard of the engagement to Morrice, a culmination far exceeding her most sanguine hopes, her delight was unbounded. And as she was above all things eminently practical, she set herself to take a fresh survey of the situation as regarded her friend. She came to the conclusion that the safest thing for her to do was to cut herself away as far as it was humanly possible from every link with the past. When she became Mrs. Morrice, the wife of the well-known financier, she must run no risks. Those visits to the son of her former husband would be discontinued, it would be best that there should be a complete severance between mother and child.
Mrs. Morrice agreed that it would be the wisest policy, although perhaps her heart smote her just a little at the prospect of never seeing her child again. But how was it to be carried out? Alma was ready with her plans, and the boldness of them almost took away her friend’s breath.
“I will take him myself,” she said, “and pass him off as an orphan, the child of a distant relative. My friends are not a particular lot; they won’t ask too many questions, and they are at liberty to think what they like; if they think the worst it won’t hurt me.”
“But, Alma, surely you don’t want to be bothered with a child? You are the same age as I am; some day you yourself will want to marry.”
Miss Buckley shook her head. “Marriage has no attractions for me, my dear Lettice. It doesn’t suit a professional life. I’ve seen so many failures amongst the people I mix with; and besides, I’ve been my own mistress for so many years I couldn’t take orders from a man now. But I will tell you frankly there are times when I feel my loneliness, with nothing to look after and care for. This little chap would give me a new interest in life, and I’m very fond of children, old maid as I am. He wouldn’t be a burden to me, if I hadn’t a penny with him; but you can make me an allowance, and I’ll put that by to give him a start in life.”
Was there ever such a kind and generous friend? The future Mrs. Morrice thanked her with tears in her eyes.
“And now the best thing for you to do is to wipe the past clean off the slate. For you he has ceased to exist, and I have adopted him; he’ll be happy enough with me, I’ll warrant. And when he grows up I’ll make a decent man of him, I hope, if—if——” She paused out of respect for the feelings of her listener.
That pause was eloquent; it meant he should be made a decent man if the criminal taint in the father should not reappear in the son.
“Of course, I shall never come near you, but there are plenty of quiet places where we can meet now and again to exchange confidences. I shall so love to know how you are getting on in this new sphere—I never dreamed, my dear, you would get such a chance as this. Of course, we are bound to drift apart a bit; you will be taken up with the duties of your altered position, but I know you will let me have a peep at you sometimes, that the wealthy Mrs. Morrice will not forget her humble friend. And just one last word; you must not come to me. The child is young; in a year or two he will forget you. If he meets you by chance in after life he will not recognize the mysterious lady who used to visit him in that little country cottage.”
And so it was arranged in a very short space after the marriage. Little John Graham—for that was the name by which the unfortunate little creature was known, that of Darcy provoking too many painful reminiscences—was transferred from the kindly couple to the care of Alma Buckley, who petted and spoiled him to her heart’s content.