Part 87 (1/2)

But she had a door by which she could partly escape. It was not that she had wanted them out of the way, but that she had been so horrified by what she had thought to be their very improper ideas as to their own rank of life. Those marriages which they had intended had caused her to speak as she had done to the chaplain. When alone at Trafford she had no doubt opened her mind to the clergyman. She rested a great deal on the undoubted fact that Mr. Greenwood was a clergyman. Hampstead and f.a.n.n.y had been stumbling-blocks to her ambition because she had desired to see them married properly into proper families. She probably thought that she was telling the truth as she said all this. It was at any rate accepted as truth, and she was condoned. As to Hampstead, it was known by this time that that marriage could never take place; and as to Lady Frances, the Marchioness was driven, in her present misery, to confess, that as the Duca was in truth a Duca, his family must be held to be proper.

But the Marquis sent for Mr. c.u.mming, his London solicitor, and put all the letters into his hand,--with such explanation as he thought necessary to give. Mr. c.u.mming at first recommended that the pension should be altogether stopped; but to this the Marquis did not consent. ”It would not suit me that he should starve,” said the Marquis. ”But if he continues to write to her ladys.h.i.+p something must be done.”

”Threatening letters to extort money!” said the lawyer confidently.

”I can have him before a magistrate to-morrow, my lord, if it be thought well.” It was, however, felt to be expedient that Mr. c.u.mming should in the first case send for Mr. Greenwood, and explain to that gentleman the nature of the law.

Mr. c.u.mming no doubt felt himself that it would be well that Mr.

Greenwood should not starve, and well also that application should not be made to the magistrate, unless as a last resort. He, too, asked himself what was meant by ”stumbling-blocks.” Mr. Greenwood was a greedy rascal, descending to the lowest depth of villany with the view of making money out of the fears of a silly woman. But the silly woman, the lawyer thought, must have been almost worse than silly.

It seemed natural to Mr. c.u.mming that a stepmother should be anxious for the worldly welfare of her own children;--not unnatural, perhaps, that she should be so anxious as to have a feeling at her heart amounting almost to a wish that ”chance” should remove the obstacle.

Chance, as Mr. c.u.mming was aware, could in such a case mean only--death. Mr. c.u.mming, when he put this in plain terms to himself, felt it to be very horrid; but there might be a doubt whether such a feeling would be criminal, if backed up by no deed and expressed by no word. But here it seemed that words had been spoken. Mr. Greenwood had probably invented that particular phrase, but would hardly have invented it unless something had been said to justify it. It was his business, however, to crush Mr. Greenwood, and not to expose her ladys.h.i.+p. He wrote a very civil note to Mr. Greenwood. Would Mr.

Greenwood do him the kindness to call in Bedford Row at such or such an hour,--or indeed at any other hour that might suit him. Mr.

Greenwood thinking much of it, and resolving in his mind that any increase to his pension might probably be made through Mr. c.u.mming, did as he was bid, and waited upon the lawyer.

Mr. c.u.mming, when the clergyman was shown in, was seated with the letters before him,--the various letters which Mr. Greenwood had written to Lady Kingsbury,--folded out one over another, so that the visitor's eye might see them and feel their presence; but he did not intend to use them unless of necessity. ”Mr. Greenwood,” he said, ”I learn that you are discontented with the amount of a retiring allowance which the Marquis of Kingsbury has made you on leaving his service.”

”I am, Mr. c.u.mming; certainly I am.--200 a year is not--”

”Let us call it 300, Mr. Greenwood.”

”Well, yes; Lord Hampstead did say something--”

”And has paid something. Let us call it 300. Not that the amount matters. The Marquis and Lord Hampstead are determined not to increase it.”

”Determined!”

”Quite determined that under no circ.u.mstances will they increase it.

They may find it necessary to stop it.”

”Is this a threat?”

”Certainly it is a threat,--as far as it goes. There is another threat which I may have to make for the sake of coercing you; but I do not wish to use it if I can do without it.”

”Her ladys.h.i.+p knows that I am ill-treated in this matter. She sent me 50 and I returned it. It was not in that way that I wished to be paid for my services.”

”It was well for you that you did. But for that I could not certainly have asked you to come and see me here.”

”You could not?”

”No;--I could not. You will probably understand what I mean.” Here Mr. c.u.mming laid his hands upon the letters, but made no other allusion to them. ”A very few words more will, I think, settle all that there is to be arranged between us. The Marquis, from certain reasons of humanity,--with which I for one hardly sympathize in this case,--is most unwilling to stop, or even to lessen, the ample pension which is paid to you.”

”Ample;--after a whole lifetime!”

”But he will do so if you write any further letters to any member of his family.”

”That is tyranny, Mr. c.u.mming.”