The Mystery of the Ravenspurs. Fred M. White
come if you listen to me. I swear it. And now, will you promise me that you will say nothing of this to a soul?”
“Dear uncle, I promise.”
Ralph had grown cold and moody again. When Marion returned with her salts he slipped out of the room as callously as if he were not in the least interested. And while many anxious eyes followed Vera at breakfast time, Ralph alone was indifferent, brutally indifferent, Marion thought.
“Are you thinking of the same thing that we are?” she asked.
“No,” Ralph said shortly. “I was thinking what poor bacon this is.”
X - A LITTLE SUNSHINE
After luncheon, Geoffrey was leaning over the stone balustrade of the terrace waiting for Vera. Beyond a slight restlessness and extra brilliancy of the eye she was better. She had proposed a ramble along the cliffs and Geoffrey had assented eagerly.
His anxiety was fading away like the ashes of his cigarette. At first he had been inclined to imagine that Vera’s indisposition had been a move on the part of the unseen foe. But he put this idea from him as illogical. The enemy was not in the habit of using the gloved hand like this. He struck down fiercely and remorselessly.
“No,” Geoffrey murmured aloud; “Vera could not have been spared!”
A gentle hand was laid upon his arm. Marion stood beside him. They were alone at that angle of the terrace and unseen from the house.
“You are right,” said Marion. “Don’t worry about that anymore.”
Geoffrey nodded approvingly. He slipped his arm round Marion’s waist and kissed her in a brotherly fashion. Marion inclined towards him with half-closed eyes and a brightened color. Her limbs trembled; the pressure of her lips was warm and sweet.
“Dear little sister,” Geoffrey murmured. “What should we do without you?”
Marion drew herself away abruptly. She rested her clasped hands over the stone balcony so that Geoffrey should not see their unsteadiness; her flushed face was half averted. It was a taking, a perfect picture.
“What would Vera say?” she asked.
“As if Vera would mind! Don’t we all love you the same? And how many times has Vera seen me kiss you? If there were no Vera, little sister, then you may be sure that I should have kissed you in a different way!”
Marion laughed at the easy impertinence. That Geoffrey had no real love or passion for anybody but Vera she knew perfectly well. She laughed again but there was nothing spontaneous in it; indeed, anybody but a youthful egotist in love could have detected a certain jarring note of pain.
“Here is Vera,” said Geoffrey. “Let us ask her.”
They put it to her merrily. They might have been in a world beyond all sorrow or suffering. The music of their fresh young voices floated in the air. Then Marion bent over the balustrade and watched the lovers out of sight. Her face grew hard; a veil of heavy years seemed to have fallen over it.
“If he only knew!” she said; “If he only knew! Why are clever people often so foolish? And why do they commit follies with their eyes wide open? Well, it doesn’t matter, for you will never know, dear Geoffrey, how passionately and devotedly I love you. And you never, never know when temptation and inclination and opportunity go together. And I don’t believe that anybody could resist temptation if he or she were certain not to be found out!”
“I am perfectly sure they wouldn’t.”
Marion turned with a stifled cry on her lips. Ralph Ravenspur was behind her. The expression on his face was wooden and emotionless.
“I hope you have not been listening to me,” she said reproachfully.
“I have been watching you, or rather feeling your presence for some time,” Ralph admitted. “I have been here since those young people went away. But you said nothing; at least, nothing I heard until that bit of worldly wisdom dropped from your lips.”
“It was an unworthy thought, Uncle Ralph.”
“It might be unworthy of you, my dear; but I fancy it is true. Even the very best of people give way to temptation. Put it away from you; don’t dwell upon your temptation, or it may get you into trouble.”
“My temptation! Do you mean to say you know what it is?”
“I do,” said Ralph. “You are deeply in love with your cousin Geoffrey. There is wild blood in your veins, and that blood will out unless you keep your feelings well under control. Ah! you may stare and look dismayed, which I am sure you are doing, although I cannot see you. Yes; there is always the temptation to pray that the family foe might remove Vera from your path.”
A piteous cry came from Marion’s lips. Who was this man who knew so much and could probe her secret soul? Yet he was blind; he could not see. Was it possible that some such horrible thoughts had crossed Marion’s mind? Atrocious thoughts will come to the best of us unasked for, unsought.
“Oh, you are cruel!” she said.
“Perhaps I am,” Ralph admitted. “You see, I live in a dark world of my own, and I have small belief in the virtues of my fellow creatures. But you are an angel, and I have amused myself by searing your wings.”
“Is that because you think my secret is a shameful one?”
“Not in the least. Who can help the wayward driftings of a woman’s heart? And, anyway, your secret is safe with me.”
He felt for Marion’s fingers and put them to his lips. Before the girl could reply he had drifted away, apparently feeling his way into space. And for a long time Marion stood there gazing out to sea.
* * * * *
Meanwhile, the lovers had forgotten everything but the beauty of the day, and that the world was for themselves alone. The sun shone for them, for them the blue sea thundered in white battalions against the cliffs; for them the lark poured out its song at the gate of heaven, and the heather bloomed on moor and headland.
They strolled along until they came to a favored spot where the gorse flowered in yellow fires, and the crushed wild thyme was pungent under their feet. Here Geoffrey threw himself on the turf, and Vera reclined by his side.
He could touch her hands, and toy with the little ripples of her hair. To watch the play of those pretty features and look back the love he saw in those great starry eyes was a thing without alloy.
“Ah, me! If we could always be like this!” Vera said.
“You and I would be happy in any circumstances,” said Geoffrey thoughtfully. “Only I should like to see something of the world.”
“What, go away and leave me all alone, dearest?”
Geoffrey smiled at the innocent coquetry. He touched the smooth, satin cheek caressingly. Vera only wanted him to disclaim any such intention and he knew it, too. There was no deception about the matter, but they were none the less happy for that.
“Of course not,” Geoffrey declared. “I should take you with me wherever I went. If we could only get the bar removed I should like to travel. I should like to see men and cities, and measure my strength with my fellows. I should like to go into Parliament. Ah! If we could only get the bar removed!”
“If we only could,” Vera sighed. “But I can’t imagine that they will touch us. We are so young and so innocent of wrong-doing. And yet this morning—”
Vera paused, half-afraid of betraying Ralph Ravenspur’s confidence.
“Only this morning you were a bit afraid. Confess it.”
“I was, Geoff. I felt strange when I awoke in the