Marriage up to date

Front matter

V ALBERT KEVILL-DAVIES, AUTHOR OF "AN AMERICAN WIDOW." IN THREE VOLUMES. VOL. II. bonbon : F. V. WHITE & CO., 31, SOUTHAMPTON STREET, STRAND, W.C. 1891. [All i-is/hts reserved.'] PRINTED BY KELLY AND CO., LIMITED, MIDDLE MILL, KINGSTON-ON-THAMES ; AND GATE STREET, LINCOLN'S INN FIELDS, W.C. CONTENTS. cnAP. PAsrE I. — The Millionaire in Society . . 1 II. — Double Dealing . . . .25 III. — On the Balcony . . . .48 IV— Rejected . . . . .61 V. — A Bitter Quarrel . . . .74 VI. — It's I who have done it . .88 VII.— Dr. Forbes ..... 105 VIII. — Suspicions and Gossip .... 112 IX. — Inspector Hutchins acts promptly . . 125 X. --The Inspector overhears a Love Scene . 137 XI. — Nora and the Magistrates . . . 153 XII. — The Clouds thicken .... 172 XIII.— On Trial . . . . .186 XIV.— Nora's New Abode , . . . S>c5icatei> TO MISS LUCY FLORENCE WATSON. AS A TOKEN OF SINCEBE BEGARD AND ESTEEM, BT , THE AUTHOR. — m —

Chapter I. The Millionaire In Society

When Walter Sherman parted from his sister he had succeeded in extracting a promise from her that she would not interfere any more in regard to bringing about an alliance between their elder brother and Nora. There was really no reason why she should do so, except that she would have liked to see Lyttlecraft regain his position and the old home once more re-established in its glory of bygone days. Walter had no fear that her interference could really tend one bit to bring about such an alliance, but it would have the power of mak ing things unpleasant for him and for Nora. Mr. Cyrus-Ludlow might request him not to call quite so often, and might keep a closer eye upon his daughter's movements. Then even those glorious early morning rides might be brought to a termination. VOL. II. Lady Mary, however, having great doubts in her own mind as to the feasibility of bringing Nora and Lyttlecraft together, wisely came to the conclusion that it was best to let things take their chances, and that after all it would be by no means a bad thing for the family if her younger brother carried off the heiress.

It so happened, though, that the big ball given by Mr. Cyrus-Ludlow brought about a gayer state of things in his household. Invitations soon commenced to pour in, and callers be came numerous, the cards left in the afternoon often running into dozens and dozens. In the Park or any other place where they happened to be, both Nora and Helen generally found themselves surrounded by a little coterie of men, and at afternoon parties, or at Lord's, or at the races, they were frequently attended by a small regiment. The story of the magnitude of the American millionaire's fortune had at last reached the ears of the entire London world, and there was a rush to do homage to the Almighty Dollar that had never been equalled before. It is true that occasionally ridicule and sneers were launched at the possessor of this vast fortune, but these were whispered in private at after noon teas, or spoken in the clubs where there was no chance of their reaching the ears of the hero of the hour.

For the time being Mr. Cyrus-Ludlow was a monarch to be wor shipped and bowed down to, and as much allowance was made for his eccentricities and barbarous manners as though he had been an Eastern potentate and ruler of some vast domain bordering on the Indian Empire. As for Mrs. Cyrus-Ludlow, she was recognized at once as a " delightful person, so unassuming, so guileless and so good-natured." But for the daughter and niece of the repre sentative of Mammon there was indeed a royal welcome. These two were the observed of all observers. When they entered a ball-room a murmur generally ran through the crowd present, and many a less fortunate girl found herself neglected and unnoticed. Men who could not succeed in gaining the presence of or obtaining a dance with Nora readily attached themselves to her cousin, and that handsome young woman, who had once been a demure and IS— dowdy governess in second-class families in America, now found herself a star in what her uncle called "the aristocratic succle of the world."

But in spite of all this neither of these two girls changed in any way towards their first acquaintances. Nora remained as faithful to Walter Sherman as a girl could possibly be, and the happiest moments of her life were those she spent with him. They could not, it is true, be alone together so much as before, for at dances, the opera, and elsewhere, plenty of other men hovered around to share with him and his brother the pleasure of her company. Lord Lyttlecraft, too, came in for a fair share of her society and was always attentive and courteous, conducting his courtship in a quiet, deferential, void-of-passion manner that was calculated to inspire sympathy and respect if it would not incite love and passion. Helen Marshall made plenty of friends and seemed to be the gayer of the two girls.

Her handsome form, her stylish and graceful carriage, and her somewhat free and easy manners earned for her a great popularity with the masculine sex. But, nevertheless, Lord Lyttlecraft was still retained as her most intimate friend, and many a secret meeting took place between these two. In their case strategy and secret appointments were called into requisition to enable them occasionally to enjoy each other's society without the know ledge or observance of her or his relatives or acquaintances. His lordship had always borna the reputation of being a fascinating man with: women, and so far as Helen was concerned. that reputation appeared to be confirmed, unless. indeed she was one of the most arrant and wanton flirts that ever strolled in Hyde Park. And so the London season began to draw to its close, and Lyttlecraft and his brother re tained to the very end the advantages they had acquired in the beginning by being first in the field.

Other men did certainly attempt to gain a similar footing in the Cyrus-Ludlow household, but the attempts were in vain, for the fortress had been stormed before these commenced their campaign. Lord Lyttlecraft and Walter were the intimate friends of the family, and as such they had an advantage which it Avas impossible to despise or ignore. Each of them, indeed, was exercising a certain amount of dissimulation not only towards the other, but towards the household in general. The Earl of Lyttlecraft dissimulated in his behaviour to both Helen and Nora. In public he was attentive and friendly to both, particularly to the former, but in many secret meetings which he had with the latter he played well the part of the ardent and impassioned Romeo. Walter Sherman also dissimulated in his public behaviour to wards Nora, inasmuch as he absolutely re frained from any tokens or demonstrations of his love, reserving those for the occasions when they would be tete-a-tete.

Lady Mary's wrords had not been lost upon him, and as he had repeated her entire conversation to Miss Cyrus- Ludlow it may be taken for granted that that young lady also took occasion to profit by it. As to Helen Marshall she was undoubtedly the most adroit at deception of them all, and although she was always bright and jovial and generally inclined to be pert and flippant, no one would ever have given her credit for play ing two parts. Her conduct towards Lord Lyttlecraft when any one else was present was so perfectly natural and so openly friendly and pleasant that not a person in the house would ever have credited the statement that any further intimacy or other relationship existed between her and him than was apparent in their general behaviour to each other. Lady Mary Sharplet was the only one who felt any doubts about this girl, and she, good lady, in her estimable desire for her brother's welfare, began to think that perhaps after all the niece of the millionaire might not be such a bad catch if there were no chance of a better.

Still she kept an eye upon the pert young lady with reddish hair, and the pert young lady, feeling instinctively that Lady Mary was not her friend, kept her eye upon her lover's sister and took care that her conduct in that august presence should always be natural and circum spect. On the whole, things in this household were beginning to get complicated, and it was, per haps, just as well that the season should come to an end. Cyrus-Ludlow, himself, was per fectly blind to anything that was going on. The flurry and excitement of being in " sarsiety," as he called it, was just as much as his brain could stand, and his nerves were beginning to feel the strain put upon them. At all times he was nervous and excitable, and was given to sustaining himself by free indulgence in champagne or brandy and soda ; but the last few weeks had worked a good deal upon his system, and the morning generally saw him weary and thirsty, a state which he always endeavoured to remedy by one or two stiff brandies and soda, or a few American " cock tails."

Consequently he was frequently more or less befogged and his perception and obser vant faculties were often considerably dimmed. But he was happy, or at least he thought he was ; and when he would retire to bed after being out late at a party and having heard a good deal of toadying " gush " talked to him, and having spoken a vast amount of nonsense consequent on his usual deep potations, he used to imagine himself the luckiest and the happiest man in the world. His ambition to move among the " British aristocracy " had been gratified, and his desire to see his only child wedded to an English nobleman was on the verge, he thought, of being fulfilled. There wrere no new fields for him to conquer. He could almost have exclaimed with Cæsar, veni, vidi, vici. Had he been a gambler he would have sought excitement in baccarat and poker, and would probably have been found a capital pigeon by many card hawks ; but gaming had no interest for him, and he would far prefer to sit and listen to the flattery of some old Dowager with a pauper son or nephew in tow, than to join in any of those fascinating games by which men like himself are unwit tingly induced to contribute to the support of that vast class which has no occupation, no visible means of support, and yet is apparently never in a state of impecuniosity.

He had his own peculiar ideas of enjoyment and his own vices and faults, but a taste for gambling was not amongst them. When he went to the races, which, like a good and proud parent, he only did when accompanied by his family, he always backed his horse — indeed he generally backed several, for every tip given to him had to be followed — and very often found himself a loser by several hundreds, but on these occasions he merely chuckled to himself and exclaimed : "Wal, Cyrus-Ludlow can afford it, I guess." It was one night during the Sandown meeting, and the millionaire was feeling particularly cheerful, after being down at that glorious race-course all day with his family and Lord Lyttlecraft. The Earl, however, was in rather doleful spirits, for he had managed to find only one winner and that one had started at even money.

Settling day would be awkward for him. He had thought he knew a certainty for the Eclipse Stakes, which certainty had failed to be in the first three. The two were sitting together in the garden at the back of the house, and between them stood a small table laden with liquors and a box of cigars. " Capital day we've had, Lyttlecraft," said Mr. Cyrus-Ludlow ; " fine weather, glorious racing, and magnificent women. A man as ain't satisfied with Sandown on a day like to-day ought to go and hang himself." " So he ought," was his lordship's reply. " There's no doubt about that. Occasions like this take a fellow entirely out of himself and make him forget the battle of life." " Ah, ah ! the battle of life is all rio-ht if yer've got plenty of money for ammunition to fight it with. It's the paupers and cads as cry out about the battle of life.

Life ain't any battle with me." " No, I daresay not, but it is with many of us who are neither paupers nor cads. I my self, for instance, have a good many cares on my shoulders. High station in life and magnificent estates to keep up, you know ; always short of cash ; always compelled to pay out money as fast as it comes in. I hoped to have paid you back that couple of thousand long before it became due, but I am getting afraid now I may have to ask for a week or two over. The Eclipse Stakes have hit me very hard." " Don't mention it, my dear fellow, don't mention it ; it's a mere flea-bite. I know what yer position is and I am only too glad to have yer for a friend and to be able to help yer. The oldest earldom in England, ain't it ? Four hundred years old — think of that ! Say, if yer want another couple of thousand for a month of two, yer can have it.

Just write yer note before yer leave, and I'll write yer a cheque." " Cyrus Ludlow," said Lord Lyttlecraft, leaning forward and placing his hand on the American's shoulder, " you are the most generous-hearted man, the most hospitable man, the noblest-hearted man I ever met." " Don't mention it, my dear boy," replied the millionaire, emptying his glass. " I like yer, my boy, and I'll do anything for yer. My wife likes yer too, and Nora likes yer, and we all like yer. Say, Lyttlecraft ? " He stopped short, filled up his glass again, looked at his companion in an inquisitive and hesitating manner, and then sipped his brandy. " Well ? " said the Earl. " Drink yer liquor," replied the millionaire after a minute's hesitation, avoiding the subject which he had evidently been about to broach. Lord Lyttlecraft complied with his host's command, and not only drank what was in his glass, but helped himself to some more.

Meanwhile, Mr. Cyrus-Ludlow rose from his seat and peered about the garden and up at the windows of the house, and especially at the conservatory. Sitting down again he said, " I didn't want any one to hear what I was going to say, and the windows are all open, but the gals are tired and gone to bed, and the only servant up is waiting in the hall. I guess thar's no one listening at this time of night." " No, I should say there was not," remarked Lord Lyttlecraft; "your servants all seem excellently trained and hardly likely to play the parts of eavesdroppers." " Wal, what I wanted to say is this, Lyttle craft. I've noticed, my dear boy," here the millionaire's voice, although a little thick, became very patronizing and had that peculiar paterfamilias ring in it which the parents of beautiful women often adopt, "that yer and my darter have become excellent friends, indeed the fondest of friends, and that yer each rejoice in the other's society.

Now, Lyttle craft, I know yer a gentleman and yer always behave as such, and it's a pleasure to be yer friend." An apparent scarcity of language here gave him an opportunity to take a long gulp at his brandy and soda. Then he thoughtfully refilled the glass and after a pause continued, " Yer know, Lyttle craft, since I've known that yer sometimes suffered a trifle from a scarcity of dollars — beg yer pardon, sovereigns I should say — it has occurred to me that, fond of my darter as yer appear to be, yer might have some scruples about speaking it out, as yer might think I was proud and would not give her to any one who had not as much as she'll have. Cod bless her ! she'll be the richest woman in this kingdom. Now, yer know, such an idea is a great injustice to me. I don't care a darn who she marries so long as she marries a man in our rank of life.

I must have her marry a gentleman hi a good position, and if so be as she's willing to look on yer as the right man I should be proud indeed, for I like yer, Lyttle craft — I like yer, and we've bin friends now for some time ; and if yer ever become my son in-law we'll see a bit of life together yet." " You are doing me a great honour, and " " No, I ain't doing yer any honour ; I'm telling the honest truth. I'm a gentleman, and I believe in the truth. Yer a gentleman, and yer believe in the truth — or ought to. Now what I am aiming at saying is this " And as though what he was trying to say needed both reflection and refreshment, Mr. Cyrus-Ludlow drank down his brandy, poured out more, and pondered. Lord Lyttlecraft also drank what brandy and soda remained in his glass, replenished it, and gazed thoughtfully and approvingly at his companion.

After a couple of minutes' pause the American continued, " Yer see, Lyttlecraft, thar's a sort of freemasonry between yer and me ; thar's a sort of comradeship that can only exist between gentlemen ; thar's a sort of confidence and trustfulness that is felt only by kindred spirits. Yer and I together, love, yer and— — No, what's that I said ? yer and I together, Lyttle craft, I meant. I know some one sings a song, ' Yer and I together, love ;' got a little mixed on it. Never mind. The case stands thus, old boy " And in order to be able to explain more clearly how the case really stood, the million aire once more emptied his glass. Lord Lyttlecraft followed his example in silence. Then the American continued, " As I said, the case stands thus " Havmg again arrived at this point he once more had recourse to refreshment, there being apparently a difficult gulf to bridge just at this point.

Lord Lyttlecraft sipped his own brandy and awaited his companion's explanation of the case. When once more Mr. Cyrus-Ludlow resumed, his voice had attained an extreme of thickness and incoherence. " The case — stands — thus," he muttered ; " yer love my darter, but being a little embar rassed yer are too honest and diffident to say so — yer letting yer modesty and honesty block the way to yer happiness and to her happiness. My darter loves yer, but it ain't the correct thing for a lady like her to let it out without being asked, and she's been too highly eddicated and too well brought up to do anything as ain't in accordance with the book of etikette. Therefore it stands thus — yer both love each other, but yer both afraid to admit it. Now, therefore, as a loving father and a thorough man of the world it devolves upon me to attend to my darter's happiness, and to see that a loving couple as was plainly created for each other don't go drifting apart hke the brook — no, that ain't it ; it wasn't the brook as drifted apart ; it was the brook as went on for ever.

What did drift apart ? Wal, never mind ; it's my business to see as my darter's happy, and I think, old boy, she'll be happy with you. As for a little shortage of dollars that ain't nowhere ! When Nora Cyrus-Ludlow be comes Lady Lyttlecraft the Lyttlecraft treasury will be as sound as the Bank of England, and don't you forget it ! " The effort of making this speech completely exhausted him, and after taking a long gulp at his drink he paused and looked with an intoxicated interrogation point in his count- VOL. II. enance at Lord Lyttlecraft. Now it happened that his lordship was fully as much under the influence of liquor as his host, but he made a heroic attempt to be equal to the occasion, and replied : " My dear Cyrus-Ludlow, what you have just said to me has made me inexpressibly happy.

You are quite right to suppose that I love your daughter — every man who knows her must do that. She appears to me a price less treasure, a goddess upon earth, an angel whom one can only dare to worship and love at a distance. I should never have dared, however, to speak of this love, owing to the difference in our fortunes. She is immensely rich ; I have barely enough to maintain my exalted position as one of the first peers of England. I have never been sure either that my love is requited, and on that account I should have hesitated to make it known." " Of course it's requited," interrupted the millionaire ; " any one can see that. I tell yer, old boy, she's yers, and I wish yer luck and happiness. She's always bin a good darter, and she'll be a good wife. She's a trifle self-willed, but that's only proper in her position ; and she's got a bit of a temper of her own, wliich yer must try not to ruffle.

But she's an out-and-out good gal, and it's a relief to me to know as she's going to be so magnificently settled. As to a difference in yer fortunes that ain't of no account. She'll have money enough to make things smooth and easy, and to enable yer both to live in the manner which yer exalted ranks demand. Won't some of the folks blink when they hear to-morrow as yer and Nora are engaged ? " " But, my dear fellow, you mustn't an nounce it until Nora has given her consent. She may refuse me." " Not much she won't ! Never mind her consent. I'll guarantee that. She's a good gal and knows a good thing when she sees it. Besides, she loves yer, my boy — she loves yer." " I devoutly hope she does, but I really think we should not be so precipitate with her. Here is my proposition. You and Mrs. Cyrus-Ludlow, and Nora and Miss Marshall, 17—2 all come down on a long visit next week to me at Beech Court, and let us postpone saying anything about this until' she has seen my place.

It is a little out of repair just now, but a week's renovating and a few hundreds spent on it will work wonders. If you can oblige me with that cheque before we part, I'll put men to work on the grounds and the house to-morrow." " That's all right, my boy, yer shall have it. I'll make it five instead of three. What's a matter of a couple of thousands to one's own son-in-law ? " " Hush, we haven't arrived at that yet, and remember that nothing is to be said to any one until we've been some little while on my place, and I've had an opportunity of being more with your daughter. There shall be no one else there except Lady Mary, whom I must get to act as your hostess. So that's settled ? " " That's settled, my boy. We'll say no thing about the engagement until we've bin down at Beech Court a little while, and then we'll just announce it to the world, and shortly after my darter will become yer wife.

It's my belafe as the best wives always marry young. Nora's quite old enough to be married." " She's a wife of whom any man would be proud." They rose from their seats and moved un steadily towards the house. Their heads appeared fairly clear, but their speech was thick, and their legs were shaky. They paused for a moment beneath the con servatory in which Lord Lyttlecraft had, a few weeks ago, avowed his love to Miss Mar shall, and where then and many times since he had passionately folded that young lady in his embrace. As they stopped, Mr. Cyrus- Ludlow leant against the wall, and extend ing his hand, said : "It's all square, ain't it, Lyttlecraft ? Thar ain't to be no humbug'.rino; between us. Yer oo o acting straightforwards and really mean to marry my darter if she'll have yer ? " " I intend," replied his lordship, " to marry your daughter."

Whether he meant to add any condition or exception is a thing that must remain unknown, for at that moment a big object fell with a crash to the ground immediately where they were standing, and in its fall it grazed Mr. Cyrus-Ludlow's shoulder with such violence that he lost his balance and tumbled to a sitting posture upon the walk. He was up, however, in a minute, ruefully rubbing his shoulder. At his feet lay a large flower-pot broken to atoms, a mass of earth, and a broken rose-tree. It had fallen from a ledge in the conservatory. " That's a bad omen, Lyttlecraft," he mut tered, as he stooped down to look at the debris. " Darn my soul if it ain't some of those trumpery shrubs of Nora's. I've never had any sympathy with her keeping all those orchids, and roses, and other trashy weeds and grass up thar, but she likes them and will have them, and she spends hours a day water ing them and picking and cutting at them.

It ain't no use to object ; she will have them, and she attends to them just as though they might be her own children. And here's the result of it — a whole forest comes tumbling down on her father's head. Great Scott, man ! If that tree with its ton of earth and its huge pot had hit me on the head, yer'd 'ave bin left an orphan — that is, I mean, yer'd 'ave bin without a father-in-law.. How did it come down here at this time of night ? Whar did it come from ? " " I think," said Lyttlecraft, pointing up wards, " it must have fallen off that ledge which runs in front of the conservatory ; you see there are some others there." " Ah, yes, I see ; let's get inside. They also may come tumbling down upon us. I don't like them. They're dangerous. I'll clear them out to-morrow. They might be drunk instead of us, tumbling about hi this way."

And after a furtive glance upwards he staggered into the house, followed by his com panion, and grumbling to himself about the flowers and a bad omen. And while he shambled clumsily along to his study, a dark figure, clad in a long gown, glided stealthily and silently out from the con servatory into the boudoir, through that into an ante-room, thence on to the back stairs, and then after creeping up one flight of these out again on to the main staircase, finally disappearing through one of the many doors on the third floor. It moved along so quickly and in such a phantom-like manner, without creating a rustle of a skirt or sounding the slightest trace of a footfall, that had Mr. Cyrus-Ludlow observed it he would probably have accepted it as another bad omen. Not having seen it, however, he was able to write his cheque and drink his brandy in peace, and to send Lord Lyttlecraft home richer by five thousand pounds.

Chapter II. Double Dealing

The Earl of Lyttlecraft's ancestral home was one of those fine old country mansions with vast surrounding estates which form some of the most picturesque features of the English rural districts, and which are the chief delight of tourists of all nations. In the time of his grandfather and of his father it had been the " show place " of the county, and people had come from far and wide to view the grand old house, the vast park, the splendid gardens, and the immense expanse of forest which was inhabited by herds of deer, and through which there were some of the prettiest drives in Eng land. All this, however, had been changed in the more recent days of the present Earl, and beautiful as the old house still appeared there was an air of decay and desolation about it that brought a feeling of sadness to the heart of the casual visitor.

Weeds grew thick and rank upon the walks ; the ivies that clung to the walls were straggling and untrimmed ; the gates and doors and windows looked as though they hungered for a little fresh paint ; the stables felt as damp and dreary as the catacombs of Paris ; the con servatories and green-houses in the flower and kitchen gardens were sadly in need of attend ance from glazier, carpenter, and painter ; the grass on the lawn had attained a thickness and coarseness equal to that of a meadow, and the flower-beds wrere so overgrown with shrubs, nettles, and weeds that they were a popular cover for the rabbits wbich flourished and thrived in vast numbers all over the gardens. Within the house itself things were not quite so bad, although there also were to be seen the infallible traces of neglect and misfortune.