A Strange Inheritance

Front matter

" Le mystere de l'existe^ept'^tje rapport de nos erreurs avec nos peines." BY F. M. F. SKENE AUTHOR OF 'HIDDEN DEPTHS' IN THREE VOLUMES VOL. I. WILLIAM BLACKWOOD AND SONS EDINBURGH AND LONDON MDCCCLXXXVI AU Rights reserved CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME. CHAP. PAGE I. THE MALCOLMS OF DUNREE, I II. SUSPENSE, 19 III. LOST DUNREE ! 36 IV. WALTER SETON AND HIS HOUSEHOLD, ... 73 V. HUGH MALCOLM ENCOUNTERS A MYSTERY, . . I03 VI. MARIE 135 VII. THE SHEPHERD'S OPINION OF MARIE, . . . 168 VIII. MARIE REFUSES TO EXPLAIN THE MYSTERY, . . 194 IX. PARTED ! 223 X. CONSOLATIONS 240 XI. GOLDEN DAYS 255 XII. AN UNEXPECTED REVELATION, ....

Chapter I. The Malcolms Of Dunree

A great ship, homeAA'ard bound from the antip odes, Avas cleaving its way through the spark ling Avaters of a sunlit sea, with all the sails set to catch the evening breeze, and her deck was croAvded with the passengers who had come up to enjoy the fine Aveather which had succeeded a somewhat heavy storm of the previ ous night. There was much pleasurable ex citement among them, for they hoped to reach the shores of England on the following day, and escape at last from their many weeks' confine ment in their floating prison. Amongst their number Avere two young men, who had saun- VOL. I. A tered up together to the bows of the vessel, and stood apart from the rest looking out to wards the far horizon, where as yet there was no trace of land. They were very different in appearance. Hugh Malcolm, a tall, fine-looking man of about seven-and-twenty years of age, possessed in a marked degree the distin guishing characteristics of the northern race to which he belonged.

He was an unmistakable Scot, with his strong, stalwart frame, his pleas ant countenance, kindly yet grave, his red broAvn hair, and his clear grey eyes seeming, in their fearless gaze, like wells of truth and honesty. His companion, Digby Harcourt, a year or two younger, and much more delicately formed, had a far greater share of mere physical beauty of a purely Saxon type. Greatly to his own indignation he had heard one of the lady passengers make the remark that he had " a very pretty face," just as she might have de scribed a girl. But the expression was thor oughly accurate, for despite his blond mous tache, there was nothing in the least manly in his appearance ; and the effeminate effect of his pink and Avhite complexion and fair hair was increased by the habitual languor of his movements, due not to any want of strength, but to an undisguised love of ease.

" England to-morroAv ! " he said, with a soft, sIoav intonation peculiar to himself. " Well, really, it does not seem worth while to have. made a voyage round the world just to come back and find the old place looking exactly the same as it did Avhen I left it, and every thing going on precisely as it has done from the time I first remember my OAvn existence at all." " Are you so sure there will be no change ? " said Malcolm ; " Ave are rather liable to sur prises in this uncertain world of ours." " Nothing can change Harcourt Manor," said Digby, Avith a half-laugh ; " the old walls have stood some hundred years, and have shown themselves proof against fire and flood. I know exactly how it will look when I drive up to the gate with the stone dragons belong ing to our family, one on each side.

The Avoman at the lodge will open it, and drop a curtsy, and say, ' Welcome home, your honour,' with her broad Devonshire accent ; and then the identical carriage and horses which took me to the station when I left home will Avhirl me up the long elm avenue to the door, and there the old butler Avho used to bully me Avhen I was a boy, and the housekeeper who fed me Avith surreptitious cakes' and comfits, will meet me Avith all the stereotyped expressions of rejoicing, and conduct me into the Avell-known rooms, Avhere the old aunts, who have been taking care of the house in my absence, will be drinking their accustomed tea. Really the thought of it all is wearisome to the last de gree — -quite unendurable." Malcolm turned the steady gaze of his grey eyes full upon the young man's face. " You think it intolerable to have a Avell appointed home to go to, with everything that can make life easy fully provided for you !

How would you like, then, to stand to-morrow on the soil of your native land, not knoAv ing whether an inch of it belongs to you, or whether you can claim a shelter under any roof Avithin its borders ? To make the picture complete, you must suppose yourself to be as nearly as possible penniless." " Oh, I say!" exclaimed Harcourt, elevating his eyebrows, " I could not stand that for a single moment ; I Avould not submit to it. You knoAv I never can tolerate being made uncom fortable in any Avay." " I knoAv you have considered yourself privi leged to a perfect immunity from all disagree ables on board ship," said Malcolm, laughing, " and you seem to have a fixed idea that noth ing is ever to be alloAved to trouble your repose of mind or body. I am afraid, hoAvever, that life may prove too strong for you, as it certainly does for the human race in general."

" But you see, my dear fellow, I really can not stand being worried — I never could," said Harcourt, pathetically, as if he believed him self endoAved with a peculiar constitution which the fates Avere never to try in any way. " Such a frightful position as you describe would be out of the question for me ; I should refuse my consent." " Provided you were asked," said Malcolm, laughing rather bitterly; "but a man is not generally permitted to try conclusions with his destiny." Harcourt looked round with sudden eagerness. " Is it possible that you have been speaking of yourself all this time ? Do you mean that it is your own actual position you have been describing ? " he asked. " Precisely so," said Malcolm, quietly. " I am excessively sorry to hear it," said Harcourt, with unaffected regret in his tone ; " but I cannot imagine how you can have got into such a fix.

I Avish you would tell me all about it, Malcolm. You are such a reserved felloAV, that, although we have been intimate companions all through this voyage, I have never arrived at the smallest insight into your circumstances or your past history. Come, I think you know I am your true friend ; don't keep up any mystery with me." " There is no mystery," exclaimed Malcolm, almost fiercely ; " I detest mysteries. It is a standing principle Avith me that Avhere there is concealment there is something hid behind it that will not bear the light of day. It shall never be so with me ; my whole life shall lie open and clear in the face of the sun, and I Avill have nothing shrouded from any eyes that choose to look on it, except the thoughts that must be known to God alone. However, Harcourt," he added more calmly, " that is a very different thing from going about openmouthed telling your affairs to people who take no interest in them."

" But I do," said Harcourt, earnestly. " I never met any man Avhom I liked and esteemed as much as yourself, Malcolm, and you have a very real friend in me. I am quite aware that we are as unlike as we can possibly be in tastes and disposition, but perhaps that is the very reason Avhy we have been drawn to each other." " Perhaps it is," said Malcolm, looking down Avith a kindly smile on the young man, who seemed to entertain no doubt that he had proved highly attractive to his companion ; " and if it is on the ground of your friendship for myself that you wish to know my history, you shall have it in full detail if you will." " That is right. Noav tell me first of all, how is it that you are so uncertain as to your pros pects on landing to-morrow ? " " Because I am going to Scotland, my own native land, which I left when I was eight years of age, and I do not know in the least whether I shall find myself possessed of the old home of my fathers, with all the broad acres that belong to it, or be reduced to a state of absolute destitution, without either money or land."

" Explain," said Harcourt, impatiently. " To do that I must go back to my birth and parentage. My father was the younger brother of Malcolm of Dunree, and those tAvo constituted the whole family ; they had no other near relations. Of course my uncle was laird of Dunree, and the estate, which was unentailed, was exclusively his own, while there was only a very slender provision made for my father, who married — rather impru dently so far as means were concerned — at a very early age. The brothers were excellent friends, however, and the laird invited my father to take up his abode at Dunree Avith his bride, and make it their home at least so long as he did not find a wife for himself. It Avas there that I, an only child, was born, and all my associations of childhood are connected with that dear old home.

How well I remember it ! — a grey castellated house, with turrets innumerable, and walls so thick that a small room had been hollowed out in one of them. It was a curious little cell just over the great hall, and it was called the ' the Lug,' because it Avas used by the lairds of the old Avarlike days for the purpose of overhearing secret conversations in the room beloAV, and so de tecting any treachery or conspiracy that might be afloat. I used it for much more innocent purposes, as a play-room, and shot my harm less arrows from loopholes where a heavy fire had often been poured doAvn on assailants out side, in the time A\Tien raids by neighbouring foes or mountain robbers Avere frequent enough. The house Avas embedded in a forest of Scot tish firs; but from the upper windoAvs there was a vieAV miles and miles away over hills purple Avith heather, and lower lands golden with the Avhin — gorse, I believe, you call it — that clothed them at certain seasons.

There was an old fashioned garden laid out in terraces; best of all to my childish fancy, a lake, just outside the grounds, Avhich Avent by the name of ' dark Loch Ree,' because the tall trees that overshadowed it never let a ray of sunshine fall upon its lonely waters. I fear I linger too long over the description of my early home, Harcourt ; but all my happiest memories are centred there ; and although I left it Avhen I Avas only eight years of age, my father spoke of it to me continually with so much affection, that it has kept my love for the place alive almost as strongly as in my childhood, even to this day." " Do you mean that you have never seen it since ? " said Harcourt. " Never. Some nineteen years ago a deadly quarrel took place between my father and his brother, and he left Dunree with my mother and myself, never to see it again."

"Why, what had happened?" " That I cannot tell you. I have never known what caused the separation, but it must have been some fatal disagreement which turned all my uncle's love for his brother into positive hatred, for that seemed really to be the feeling which actuated him ever afterwards." " A mystery, in short," said Harcourt, rather maliciously. " Yes, a mystery ; but one Avhich I mean if possible to solve for my own satisfaction, if I can do so without encroaching on the secrets of others. I was but a child at the time, but I have a confused impression of some terrible calamity which the servants discussed in trem ulous Avhispers, and over which my mother wept floods of tears. I remember seeing my uncle in a white heat of passion going up to my father as if he Avould have struck him, and my mother flinging herself betAveen them, Avhile my father almost as furiously accused his brother of vindictive cruelty and injustice.

We left Dunree that same night, I think, and Scotland altogether a feAv days later, and then the excitement of a sea voyage lasting many Aveeks, obliterated all these recollections from my mind for the time. We went to Mel bourne, Avhere we have been ever since. My mother died almost immediately after our arrival. My father obtained a situation in a bank, and sent me to a school in the city. He gave me a good education, but he could make no provision for me in the future, as his salary was only sufficient to meet our current expenses. I should of course have sought out a profession for myself, but of late years my father's health failed so much that he has required my constant assistance in order to enable him to carry on his regular duties ; and when he died, three months ago, I found myself absolutely without resources."

"And did you not apply to your uncle then ? " " I should not have done so in any case, for we had never held the slightest communi cation Avith him from the time Ave had left Dunree ; but it happened, strangely enough, that the news of his death met me when I returned home from my father's funeral. Those two, so long estranged in life, must have passed into the unseen world almost side by side ; doubtless there is peace between them now," he added, in a lower tone. " Did you never ask your father the cause of their quarrel ? " asked Harcourt. " Yes, more than once ; but he always an swered me that he Avas pledged to secrecy for the sake of others, and could tell me nothing. He often, however, discussed the probable result of it with me in so far as my future was concerned. Naturally, in the ordinary course of events, Dunree should have been my in heritance after the death of my uncle and father.

There Avas literally no other heir, as the laird had never married, and was therefore childless ; and it had always passed in direct descent from one member to another of the Malcolm family. But it was not entailed — apparently because it had never been supposed possible that it could be alienated from our race ; and if my uncle chose to carry his anger against my father so far, he might leave it away both from him and his son in any di rection he pleased." "Surely there AA7as no chance of his doing that, for the honour of his house," said Har court. " My father seemed to think it quite possible that he might, if not likely ; and that is the reason of the uncertainty in Avhich I stand as to my position in Scotland. I may learn to-morroAv that I am the possessor of Dunree and all its fair lands, as undoubtedly I ought to be ; or I may find that it has been willed aA\'ay, I knoAv not Avhere, and that beyond my OAvn right arm I have nothing left Avherewith to carve out a livelihood for myself."

" But hoAv is it that you do not know the contents of your uncle's will ? " asked Har court. " Because the news of his death only came by a telegram addressed to my father, and had been sent off the moment he expired. It came from his factor — bailiff, I suppose you Avould call him in England. And he, doubtless, expected my father to come home at once, never imagining that there could be any doubt as to his inheritance of the estate. But he was gone ; and his situation in the bank had long been desired by a man who had a right to it from faithful service, so that the salary which had been our sole means of support had passed out of my possession. I found that the sale of our few household goods would just suffice to pay my passage to Plymouth and carry me on to Scotland. Then I decided, as I had no tie to Melbourne, that I would come home at once, and ascertain for myself the particulars of my uncle's will and its result on my own future fate.

I tele graphed my intention to Burns the factor, took my passage in this vessel, and here I am. Harcourt drew a long breath as his friend ceased to speak. " Upon my word, Malcolm, I do not envy you. The barest possibility of such a position as may be yours to-morroAv, if your uncle has played you false, would be quite insup portable to me. But come, I will not believe for a moment that he can have acted so un- ■5 justly. He had no quarrel Avith you, and it is not to be conceived that he Avould deprive you of the succession Avhich is your right, because your father offended him Avhen you Avere too young to know anything about it. Depend upon it, you will find Dunree Avaiting to receive you as its undoubted master." " I hope it may prove that you are right," said Malcolm ; " but my father had great misgivings.

My uncle was a man of strangely implacable disposition. I believe he used actually to boast that he never forgave an injury. " Not exactly a Christian sentiment," said Harcourt. " But you are such a good fellow yourself, Malcolm, I cannot believe that one of your kith and kin could be so vindictive. It Avill be all right, you will find. And I do wish you Avould give me the chance of being your first guest in this fine old house you have described. I know I shall be bored to death at home. I cannot turn out my venerable aunts till they are ready to go to London, and you could not imagine anything so ineffably wearisome as their society. Besides, I want to go to Scotland immensely. I have never been there but for a few weeks' shooting on the moors, and I liked it so well, that I have ahvays wished to know more of it."

" You will be most welcome to my house if I have one to offer you, Harcourt," said Mal colm, cordially ; " and if it is in my power to invite you to Dunree, I hope you will come whenever you like. In any case, I will write and let you knoAv my fate so soon as I" have learned it myself, and I shall not long be kept in suspense. With that the friends parted for the night, and next day the good ship came to an end of her long voyage at Plymouth, and her passengers Avere dispersed far and wide in many different directions. They had been closely linked together by a community of interests during their long detention in their floating home, — all equally affected by the vary ing incidents of their life at sea, the changeful winds and fitful weather, the beauty of the phosphorescent lights, and the excitement of watching the dolphins following on their trackless path ; but no sooner had the anchor rattled down into its place, than the whole living mass — gathered together for the last time on the deck — melted away on all sides, and vanished from each other's sight, never probably to meet again Avhile life lasted for any one of them.

Malcolm and Harcourt Avere, however, an exception to this general rule. They did not intend that the friendship Avhich had com menced on board ship should end there. It had been, indeed, a somewhat one-sided inti macy ; for the weakness of character and un controlled love of ease and luxury, which were so apparent in Harcourt, would naturally have been repugnant to Malcolm, and at first he had rather regretted the attraction which his own strong independent nature and high-toned mind seemed to have for the young man. He had, hoAA7ever, soon detected many good underlying qualities in Digby Harcourt, which Avere likely to come to the front if he should be subjected to a little Avholesome adversity — such as most mortals have to endure — and were thus driven out of the self-pleas ing habits that had been engendered in him by a life of undisturbed prosperity and luxu rious ease.

He was thoroughly honourable, kind-hearted, and, above all, open and truth- VOL. I. B ful ; and these were virtues eminently agree able to Hugh Malcolm, perhaps because they were also essentially his own, though with far greater depth and power in proportion to the strength of his nobler nature. He had grad ually grown attached to the young man, with the sort of protecting regard which he might have given to a younger brother ; and he was glad to feel, as they parted on the quay at Plymouth with mutual promises of meeting again very speedily, that he had at least one friend on that side of the world to which he was returning almost as a perfect stranger. Harcourt went off for the few hours' journey which Avould bring him to his Devonshire home ; and Malcolm," having made his way to London, took the night-mail down to Scot land Avithout an hour's delay. I'.)

Chapter II. Suspense

It Avas about noon on the following day Avhen Hugh Malcolm at last reached the village in AA-hich Mr Burns, his late uncle's factor, lived. He kneAV that it Avas not more than five miles from Dunree, and his heart throbbed involuntarily as he recognised the distant hills, Avhose familiar shapes recalled a thousand happy recollections, Avhile the breeze that blew over his tired eyes seemed to him fresher and purer than any he had felt during all the long years of his absence. "Bonnie Scotland!" he said to himself; " there is no place like it in all the Avide Avorld." The young man realised in that moment for the first time how bitter Avould be his disappointment if he found himself, by a dead man's unjust decree, an outcast from the home of his fathers, and an alien in his native land. He felt as if the suspense, Avhich he had endured patiently enough through the long weeks of his voyage, Avould be insup portable if it lasted another moment.

The conveyance which had brought him from the nearest station had stopped at Mr Burns's door. He sprang out of it, paid the driver, and sent him away; then, with the carpet-bag in his hand, Avhich he had alone brought Avith him for the present, he knocked hurriedly at the door. The interval Avhich elapsed before it was opened seemed unreasonably long to his impatience ; but at length his summons Avas answered by a stolid-looking matron, whose attire showed her to be the mistress of the house and not a servant. " I have come to see Mr Burns," said Malcolm, quickly. " I have just arrived from Melbourne. He expects me, does he not ? " "You'll be young Maister Malcolm," she replied, with a very homely accent and man ner ; for the late laird's factor had been simply one of the most intelligent of his own tenants, and not a cultivated gentleman, as most per- SUSPENSE. 21 sons are Avho occupy positions of that nature in these days.

"Yes, I am," said Hugh. "Is Mr Burns at home ? I am most anxious to see him." " You had better come ben the hoose," was her ansAver ; and turning, she led him into a well furnished room, Avhich Avas evidently only used on state occasions. He looked round eagerly. " Is Mr Burns not here ? I should like to speak to him at once, if you please." " Sit ye doon. I am sure you maun be Aveary, trundling sae long at the back o' they great snorting engines," and she dreAV a huge easy-chair towards him as she spoke. Mal colm sank into it, half despairing of inducing her to give him a direct ansAver. Mrs Burns sat down in front of him, and steadily scanned his features. " You're no a bit like your uncle," she said, musingly. " I couldna hae telled you were the same blude ; but I see a glint o' your father in your face, and you have got your mother's bonnie big een."

" Mrs Burns, do let me beg you to call your husband. I cannot tell you how impatient I am to see him." " I'd hae to screech gey loud for him to hear me the day. He's aAva' to Glaskie on business of his ain." " To Glasgow ! And will he not come home to-day ? " " No till the morn's morn. I expect he'll come by the same train you came Avith to-day." Not for another day — four-and-tAventy hours more of suspense ! It was a cruel disappointment. " What am I to do ? " exclaimed Hugh, im patiently. " How can I wait all that time ? " " Weel," said Mrs Burns, " there's your bed up-stairs all ready. The gudeman told me you'd hae to sleep here, and there it is Avith the sheets on and a'." " But you do not surely mean that I am to go to bed at this time of day," said Malcolm, laughing in spite of his annoyance.

" You might do waur," said Mrs Burns, who Avould have been glad to have seen her guest comfortably disposed of in that way Avhile she attended to her domestic concerns ; " but you'll be wanting your denner. If you like to take pot-luck with me and the bairns, you'll no be bad off." " You are very kind, Mrs Burns," said Mai- SUSPENSE. 23 colm, " but " — he paused a moment Avhile he scrutinised her impassive face. She must knoAv what Avas in store for him, he thought ; she could not but have heard the contents of the laird's will — "you may imagine," he said, " that I am very anxious to knoAv hoAv my uncle has left the estate. Can you not tell me Avhether Dunree is to be mine or not ? " He AA'aited eagerly for her ansAver. She gave it with the utmost composure. " I never fash my heid about ither folk's business.

You can ask the gudeman when he comes hame. You can just come awa' noo to your denner. I hear the bairns, puir things, crying oot for their broth." She rose as she spoke, and made him an authoritative sign to go out of the room before her. " Was there ever such an exasperating Avoman ! " was his mental remark, for he had an instinctive conviction that she knew all he so longed to learn, while he felt perfectly hope less of her answering any question he might ask. There Avas nothing to be done, however, but to resign himself to a trial of patience, and he had long since learnt, happily, to practise habits of self-control. He followed his hostess quietly, therefore — when, having got him out into the passage, she locked the door of her state-room, that its ornaments might be safe from the depredations of her children, and then preceded him into a much more humble apartment, Avhere her progeny, to the number of nearly a dozen, were seated round a table, impatiently rapping on it with their spoons, and clamouring for food.

The appearance of the stranger silenced them, and all the atten tion which they could thenceforward spare from their repast Avas employed in staring solemnly and silently at their visitor. Mal colm tried to keep up a little conversation with Mrs Burns in consideration of her hospitality; but his thoughts Avere too much preoccupied, and he gladly accepted her offer to go to the room she had prepared for him so soon as the meal Avas over. She showed him the way to it, and then left him alone. He glanced round at the box-bed, — a peculiar species of couch Avhich still holds its place in Scotland, and has the advantage of being made to look like a cupboard by day, — -and the few simple chairs and tables which formed the rest of the fur niture, and then made straight for the window. SUSPENSE. 25 He saAv that it looked in the direction which must lead to Dunree ; and there, Avinding its way over hill and glen, Avas a road which he had no doubt AA-ould take him direct to its gate.

Here, then, was a resource for that afternoon : he Avould walk out the five miles that alone noAv intervened between himself and his old home, and look on it once more, AA'hile it AAras still a possibility that he might be doing so as Malcolm of Dunree. He ran lightly down the stair, and meeting Mrs Burns in the passage, he told her he was going to take a long Avalk, and Avould not return till the evening. She nodded her head with evident satisfaction at getting him so conveniently out of the Avay, and he started off at once Avith the swift firm step which had carried him over many a mile of the Australian bush. Old memories aAvoke for him with every turn of the road. Often had he ridden that way on his little Shetland pony by his father's side, or driven over it Avith his pretty mother in her open carriage, when she went to visit the poor in the village.