Part 61 (1/2)
He first wrote a letter, to the care of the lawyers. He informed her that he had made a discovery of the highest importance to herself--he refrained from anything that might give rise to suspicion; he implored her to give him an interview anywhere, in any part of the world--alone, he told her that the consequences of refusal might be fatal--absolutely fatal--to her future happiness: he conjured her to believe that he was anxious for nothing but her happiness: that he was still, as always, her most faithful friend.
Well; he could do no more. He had not the least expectation that his letter would do any good; he did not even believe that it would reach Iris. The money was received and paid over to her own account. There was really no reason at all why she should place herself again in communication with these lawyers. What would she do, then? One thing only remained. With her guilty husband, this guilty woman must remain in concealment for the rest of their days, or until death released her of the man who was pretending to be dead. At the best, they might find some place where there would be no chance of anybody ever finding them who knew either of them before this wicked thing was done.
But could she know of the murder?
He remembered the instruction given to f.a.n.n.y. She was to write to Brussels. Let her therefore write at once. He would arrange what she was to say. Under his dictation, therefore, f.a.n.n.y wrote as follows:--
”My Lady,--I have received your ladys.h.i.+p's letter, and your kind gift of ten pounds. I note your directions to write to you at Brussels, and I obey them.
”Mr. Mountjoy, who has been ill and in Scotland, has come back to London. He begs me to tell you that he has had an interview with your lawyers, and has learned that you have been in town on business, the nature of which he has also learned. He has left an important letter for you at their office. They will forward it as soon as they learn your address.
”Since I came back from Pa.s.sy I have thought it prudent to set down in writing an exact account of everything that happened there under my own observation. Mr. Mountjoy has read my story, and thinks that I ought without delay to send a copy of it to you. I therefore send you one, in which I have left out all the names, and put in A, B, and C instead, by his directions. He says that you will have no difficulty in filling up the names.
”I remain, my dear Lady,
”Your ladys.h.i.+p's most obedient and humble servant,
”f.a.n.n.y MERE.”
This letter, with the doc.u.ment, was dispatched to Brussels that night.
And this is the trouble which Iris brought upon herself by answering f.a.n.n.y's advertis.e.m.e.nt.
CHAPTER LX
ON THE EVE OF A CHANGE
IRIS returned to Louvain by way of Paris. She had to settle up with the doctor.
He obeyed her summons and called upon her at the hotel.
”Well, my lady,” he began in his gross voice, rubbing his hands and laughing, ”it has come off, after all; hasn't it?”
”I do not desire, Dr. Vimpany, to discuss anything with you. We will proceed to settle what business we have together.”
”To think that your ladys.h.i.+p should actually fall in!” he replied. ”Now I confess that this was to me the really difficult part of the job. It is quite easy to pretend that a man is dead, but not so easy to touch his money. I really do not see how we could have managed at all without your co-operation. Well, you've had no difficulty, of course?”
”None at all.”
”I am to have half.”
”I am instructed to give you two thousand pounds. I have the money here for you.”
”I hope you consider that I deserve this share?”
”I think, Dr. Vimpany, that whatever you get in the future or the present you will richly deserve. You have dragged a man down to your own level--”
”And a woman too.”