A legend of the grand Gordons

Front matter

A LEGEND

OF

BY

Index

PACK.

CIIAPTER XVI.

The Convent of The Holy Cross 318

CHAPTER xvn.

Lost Letters. A Dilemma 390

CHAPrER XVHI.

A Walk from tfie Post Office 413

CHAPTER XIX.

The Indian's Willow Pit 434

CHAPTER XX.

Deep in the Mire 449

CHAPTER XXI.

An iNTEia'iEW WITH the Prioress of The Holy Cross 458

CHAPTER XXII.

The Prison. A Sore Temp i'ation 468

CHAPTER XXIH.

Worshipping The Great Spirit. The Sacrifice of the White Dog. 483

CHAPTER XXIV.

The Court FIouse Cd6

CHAPTER XXV.

^iR Reginald Gordon 511

CHAPTER XXVI.

Once more on the Sea. 543

CHAPTER XXYII.

Footprints in the Snoay. 565

CHAPTER XXVIII.

A STARTLING Rencontre 575

CHAPTER XXIX.

Marion's Dream. What came of it 588

CHAPTER XXX. ^' At Evening Time it shall be Light ! " 622

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CHAPTER I. "So giveth He His beloved sleep."

HE doctor bade me open the window as wide as possible, and with noiseless steps I crossed the room and did his behest ; little good did the open window do the sick woman who was passing from Time to Eternity in the curtained bed opposite.

The air was so thick and heavy that it did not stir a single leaf on the elm whose branches almost touched the window panes, and the night so black that it made me shrink and think of " that darkness which can be felt ;" not a star in the heavens — not a light in the neighbours' houses — not a sound to be heard save the moaning of the sea as she dashed her biHows upon the great rocks away down on the shore beneath, obeying the command, and doing the work set her by the Eternal so many thousand y ears ago.

I turned from the eerie sound to look on the pale

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quiet face, and listen to the deep, thongli not laboured breathing of her who lay in that curtained room ; one who had long since found the pearl of great price, one who long ago could read her title clear to the mansion the Son of God went to prepare for those who desire to dwell therein, and yet, oh mighty human love, whose spirit could not pass to the better land, held by the strong cords pf love to one, who all in that quiet household but the dying mother, deemed the inmate of an Eastern grave.

A year before, when that sad letter came telling of her death, and Marion's tears fell like rain, Marion Vv^hom I never saw weep before or since, the mother laid her hand on the black-edged missive which told the sad tale, and although her troubled brow spoke of anguish too deep for tears, her unfaltering voice and firm lip first said those words so familiar now,

" Tiny is not dead,"

And the last words we heard her utter long after we thought her tongue was powerless for evermore, the deathless human love she held in her soul once more concentrating itself in speech clear and strong,

*' Marion, obey my will in the spirit and the letter. Tiny is not dead, she will yet come home."

Marion and the doctor stood one on each side of the bed, the doctor no mere hired leech, but the old and tried friend of her who lay there dying.

The ticking of the great clock in the hall was distinctly heard, no other sound broke the silence.

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the dying" woman's eyes fixed upon a cabinet picture of her daughter, the face one of almost perfect beauty, the light seemed to stream through the pale brown curls which fell on the pictured neck, imparting to them a gleam of gold, a most bewitching smile pla yed upon the lips, and yet in the deep grey eyes there seemed a touch of sadness, which used sometimes to make me fancy that in her far off spirit home she knew and sorrowed for the delusion of her mother.

We were startled by loud and hurried rapping at the hall door, a quick and yet heavy step on the staircase ; a moment more and a young man stood in the doorway whom 1 at once recognized as Lady Gordon's son by his likeness to the picture bearing his name in the dining room.

He stood half inside the door glaring, (yes glaring is the only word by which I can conyey my impression of his countenance while looking on his dying mother's face) evidently but half comprehending what he saw.

Marion went towards him making a motion as she did so.

" Is Mamma dead ?" inquired he in a husky voice, without paying the least attention to the " hush " of Marion which was given both with voice and gesture ere he was able to make the inquiry.

Marion shook her head, the doctor turning towards him held up his forefinger, an action which the young man probably did not see as his attention was evidently drawn towards Marion, of whom he

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demanded in tones a little louder than before, talkingwith a rapidity of utterance, and a gesture of impatience ill in accordance with the time and place.

"Why did you frighten me so by that horrible telegram ? I fancied Mamma was dead."

"You were sent for by Lady Gordon's order," replied Marion in suppressed tones, endeavouring at same time to draw him from the room.

He rudely shook oflf the hand which she had placed on his arm and coming towards the bed, with a heavy tread, giving the doctor whom he evidently had not previously recognized a slight nod, he knelt (Jown beside the bed and placing both his hands on his mother's arm, looked in her face, saying in an inquiring tone,

" You are better, Mamma ? That telegram gave me such a fright ; I have been travelling by express day and night since I received it, I was so frightened I could not eat."

He was recognized, a faint smile passed over the dying woman's face, she essayed to speak but the power of speech had passed away forever.

The boy, or rather young man rose and seated himself by the bed close to his mother's head, still keeping one of his hands on her recumbent arm, and Marion resumed her place by her dying mistress' bedside.

As she did so Lady Grordon's eye sought her's with a look of such intelligence that no words were needed

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to convey its meaning to her faithful servant ; Marion knelt down and clasping her hands said in a low clear voice, her lips almost close to her Ladyship's ear, as if she wished to be heard by her, and by her alone.

" I will wait all the days of my life here, till Miss Tiny comes home."

She was heard and understood, Lady Gordon's eyes again sought her daughter's pictured face, and her gaze was fixed there after her spirit had departed on its journey through the valley of the shadow; so quickly did she go on her way that it was only when the troubled look which had clouded her brow for so many long years gave place to one of perfect peace, that the doctor laid down on the white quilt the worn wrist he held in his hand for the last half hour, counting the life pulse flying, flying, and Marion and I knew she had passed away.

Marion threw her linen apron over her head and still kneeling for a few minutes indulged her grief for her who had been both friend and mistress. The doctor lifted the hand he had just laid down and addressing the dead, said

" Farewell, Lady Grordon, my tried friend in life, beloved in death. Blessed be Grod that He gave you His own Son as your stay in this life and your guide to the eternal shore."

The doctor left the house, Marion still continuing to kneel with covered head by the body of her mistress. I myself almost stupified with grief for the loss of the only one who had invariably treated

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me justly and lovingly, the only one who had ever taken the trouble to point out to me the faulty side of my character, the way to mend these faults, and •far above all else the one who taught me to go on my way rejoicing, to rest with full faith on His promise — " I have called thee by thy name;" — "I come that ye might have Life, and that ye might have it more abundantly," and together with these reminiscences came thoughts of the solemn promise I had given to the woman just now dead, the responsibility I had voluntarily taken upon myself, and I put the startling question to my soul.

" How is that promise to be fulfilled ?"

I was aroused from my re very by Sir Eobert walking across the room with a heavy tread. He sat down on a sofa opposite his mother's bed and covering his face with his hands, exclaimed aloud " Mama, Mama, what shall I do ? Eeddy, Tiny and Mamma all gone."

His words aroused Marion from her prayer or her sorrow whichever it was she indulged in, and throwing the apron from her head she stood up, not a trace to be seen of the anguish which had overspread her face for the last eight or ten hours ; she was now the same firm, almost stern-looking middle aged woman she had appeared since I first saw her three years before.

" You had better go to the library, Sir Eobert," said Marion, going up to where the boy still sat, " where Miss St. Clair will make tea for you." While she spoke she looked towards, me as if desiring me to

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do as she said I would, " tliis room must be put in order at once as befits the rank of your lady mother."

Thus admonished I did her bidding as I had been taught to do from the first hour I saw her ; although in my capacity of companion and amanuensis I was tacitly allowed to be Marion's superior, yet I together with all others in the house paid the same deference to her commands as we paid to those of Lady Gordon.

Sir Eobert sat down to the tea table, broke a piece of bread into small bits, drank a mouthful of tea, and then rising up left the house saying,

*' I'll be back in an hour or two."

On his departure I ascended to Lady Gordon's room, opening the door softly as we do when the dead lie within, as if we dreaded disturbing ihe ear which the loudest trumpet blast ever pealed on earth would fail to move ; everything in that cold room white and rigid — Marion seated close by the head of the corpse, her open Bible, above which her hands were clasped, laid on her knee, her eyes fixed where two hours before, her mistress' had been on Mrs. 'Percy's pictured face, the only uncovered thing in the room.

I was about to withdraw as noiselessly as I had entered, when Marion observing me, beckoned with her finger for me to approach.

" Miss St. Clair " said she in a low yet clear voice, " I know of the promise you made to her who is now in eternity, I only learnt it yesterday, would to God

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she had given me your work to do instead of my own, but no doubt she judged right, they will hear you who would not hear me ; may the Lord give you grace of soul and strength of body to perform what you have undertaken; and the more to strengthen you in your purpose I will tell you of a great change which has taken place in my own mind."

" You know that when Lady Grordon used to speak so confidently of Tiny's being still alive I never answered, I could not think as her Ladyship did and therefore could not answer ; last night when kneeling by her bed the grace was given me to believe the truth ; as surely as the bright stars are hid by that black night" as she spoke, she pointed with uplifted hand out to the darkness seen through the window I had opened several hours before, and which still remained as I had left it, the darkness intense as ever, " so surely is Miss Grordon still alive, and with the Lord's help I trust she will yet come home. Gra now and rest, Annie will sit up and give Sir Eobert his supper when he comes in, if he will take any, which I fear he will not ; he has gone to the Baird Hills, it is a fashion of his to go there when he is in ' trouble."

" I will sit here with you Marion," I replied, " were I to go to bed I could not sleep ; after all the excitement I have passed through I could not even lie in bed."

" You can go to the library then, and take the best of all books with you and read His word therein, but

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here yon cannot stay, I mnst wake Lady Grordon alone to-night, to-morrow the Grordons and Seatons will come to watch their dead."

I again sought the library, and sitting down on a low fauteuil in front of the fire endeavoured to realize to myself that the one I had attended for three years every day, almost every hour, was now lying cold and dead, and that her death had changed all my future life. Unconsciously I began in the same train of thought to hold a retrospective review of the events which had happened in Lady Gordon's family since first I entered it, ascending the door steps and knocking at the door with such a palpitating heart as I went to answer her advertisement, lest the same answer should be given as I had listened to so often, *' I want one who can make dresses, one who can push her needle well."

Alas ! how often and how bitterly I regretted my inability to do so, but at last I had found a home, my acquirements were just such as Lady Grordon wanted ; " one who could read and write," and she added " play a little to amuse her two grandchildren." And then my salary, how my heart bounded when the gentle Lady asked me " if forty pounds would be enough?" enough ! how many others had told me twenty was too much ; with forty pounds I could board and clothe Ella and save money for her education, my own clothing would not cost much. Ella had never seen Mama, the sorrow of that parting at least was spared her, and now she would never be tossed about as I bad been, not if I could keep my situation, and ok I would strive so hard to do that.

My first day in the house came back as fresh as yesterday, when Lady Grordon endeavouring to make me feel at home, pointed out to me the beautiful picture of her daughter, then a girl in her eighteenth year, whose blue silk dress contrasted well with the grey old walls by which she stood, the brown pony whose neck she fondly patted, her own golden curlr as bright and more beautiful than the plumage of the pheasant who tamely perched beside her on the stone balustrade of the castled home she called her own ; she was mother to those two good and lovely children who made music and light in the old house at Leith when I entered it ; my chief occupation there, to write every evening a diary of all that happened during the day, especially noting the sayings and doings of the twin boy and girl, that by each mail it might be sent to their young mother in her Indian home.

This used to be done by Lady Grordon herself, but a rheumatic affection of the nerves in boih hands, prevented her from using her pen except in letter writing, ultimately I was entrusted with this also ; I was not many weeks in the house when I knew that Captain Percy was no favourite ; Lady Grordon never spoke of him. I do not know that in the first year of my residence in Leith I ever heard her mention his name ; Marion was less reticent, and scrupled not at times to give utterance to her thoughts, never

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in her mistress' presence, howeyer ; yet I knew well that Marion's words were but a faint echo of Lady Grordon's feelings.

Long loving letters came from India so regularly, written in that pretty round half school girl hand which seemed to sort so well with the girlish looking face in both portraits, the last although taken in her twenty-second year, just previous to her leaving her mother's home, as it would now appear, for ever, notwithstanding its grave half sad eyes, looking as girlish in face and figure as that taken in her eighteenth year. Again before I became an inmate of the old house the twin children arrived in the first year of their age accompanied by their portly French nurse Madame Peltier, who was still their attendant now that they lived at Morningside, and had taken care that her foster children learned her own language as fast as they did their mother's tongue.

Lady Grordon's bad health at last impaired her sight and for a year she was quite blind ; during this time the letters from India came with only the London postmark, having been enclosed by Captain Percy to his lawyer there. These letters seemed to me less hopeful than the first I used to read for her Ladyship, and instead of the paper being full every inch as formerly, they suddenly dwindled down to a page and a-half ; at last one page contained all, the style constrained and stiff", so unlike the loving letters which used to speak to her mother and children in Kuch graphic, strong words: as I read those last

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letters many a sig-li did the poor blind mother give for the restoration of eye and limb promised by her physician as a reward for her patience, if she would only be patient and do his bidding for a year. Her feet as well as her hands were now almost useless, never captive in dungeon hold sighed more for freedom and light than did that mother in her spacious chamber sigh for strength to walk and power of sight ; how often have I heard her say " When the Lord gives me my sight and strength again, the first •use I will make of them will be to go to India and see my child." She never doubted that sight and strength would both come ; and so they did, but too late to see her she loved so well.

Those constrained letters received now at long intervals instead of by each mail as formerly, seemed to me to be more a copy of Mrs. Percy's writing than her own, and I mentioned this several times to Lady Grordon, her i i^ly was always the same.

" I dare say bhe probably cares little how they are written."

Time passed on and Lady Grordon received her sight and strength only to read Captain Percy's letter informing her of his wife's death, a letter written three months after that event was said to have taken place ; I shall ever remember the exaggerated language it was couched in.

" My misery is complete — my despair is beyond the power of endurance — do not be surprised if you hear of my death ;" many lines of such stuff, and then " I

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sail with the same ship which brings you this that I may take my children to my bosom never to part with them, they are all now left to your most wretched son-in-law, Bertram Percy," and then the unique postscript " You will regret to learn that my sweet babe was carried off by the same fell disease which robbed me of my adored Margaret."

I read the letter aloud as I had done so many, and then Lady Grordon re-read it, without a tear or a sigh.

She had been earnestly warned not to overtask her new found sight, but that letter had aroused a suspicion which it seemed in her own power to allay or confirm, and all other considerations were light in comparison, were unthought of, and going to the secretary where her daughter's letters were kept, she read over every one which had been received since her failing sight obliged her to trust to my eyes instead of her own; after doing this, in the most composed manner she laid her hand upon the letters, the black-edged one the uppermost, saying with unfaltering lip and unmoistened eye " Tiny is not dead, these letters were never written by her."

Mr. Morton was then sent for, who if he did not coincide with Lady Grordon in her belief of Mrs. Percy being still alive, said nothing to the contrary. He was a dear friend of the family, and while reading the black-edged letter his face became pale as death ; the other letters he was sure were never written by Tiny, as he called her; but the signature of each seemed hers, the word Tiny which was the only

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I signature they had, was in all the letters received for years back the same as in those of later date.

Lady Grordon would have gone to Calcutta to find her daughter whom she never for a moment classed among the dead, but Mr. Morton pointed out to her that Captain Percy would most likely arrive in the course of a day or two, as his letter implied ; he should be met with guile for guile ; his object in coming was most likely to make some bargain with her for the possession of the children now nearly four years of age, and whom he would probably remove to his own home wherever that was, unless convinced that they would not be brought back, no one could persuade him of this unless her Ladyship did so by deeds not words.

That very day the children were sent to board with Miss Maitland, an old friend of the family, by whom they were well cared for; next day Lady Grordon made her will, in ten days after Captain Percy arrived.

He was shewn into the sitting parlour ; I was in the cabinet room between it and Lady Gordon's bedroom, busy making up accounts, and getting all things in readiness for the voyage to India (on which I was to accompany her Ladyship) when he entered, my seat placed so that I could see nearly all that happened on one side of the parlour.

Prom Marion's description I knew who he was immediately, short, thickset, lank fair hair, no whiskers, no beard; had I been an unprejudiced

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observer which I certainly was not, I do not think the impression his appearance produced would have been at all favourable.

He went up to the cabinet picture of his wife which then hung in the little parlour ; drawing up his under lip below his teeth until not a particle of it was visible, he eyed the mild face with a horrible look of silly exultation, pointing at it with his forefinger : as he turned from the picture his eye encountered my own fixed upon him in the pier glass, his face expressed anger, he knew I had seen the grimace he made. I thought of the Apostle's words " Spots and blemishes beguiling unstable souls ; an heart exercised with covetous practices, cursed children, wells without water and I shuddered as I remembered the context " the mist of darkness."

Lady Grordon entered the parlour by passing through the room in which I sat, and bade me remain there until her visitor departed ; I could not help contrasting the tall portly lady in her handsome weeds with her short homely looking son-in-law, and wondering what infatuation could have tempted her beautiful daughter to unite herself to such a man, his manners must certainly have been most fascinating to induce a beautiful girl to leave her home where she was surrounded by every luxury suited to her rank, or else we must account for it as the French do in such cases " une mauvaise destine"

As Lady Gordon entered, her son-in-law approached with a sorrowful countenance, his hand extended as

B

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if lie would raise lier Ladyship's to his lips ; without seeming to notice his advances she gracefully avoided any near contact with his person ; he was evidently conscious of this, but as I watched his countenance I fancied he seemed more amused than hurt by her dislike.

A pier glass placed between the windows of the parlour and reaching from floor to ceiling enabled me from where I sat in the cabinet to observe every motion of both occupants of the room, and Lady €rordon's command as she passed through left me an unseen listener.

They had scarcely passed the common compliments of greeting when he asked for his children.

" I sent them out to board when I received your black-edged letter," was her Ladyship's reply, spoken in a stately dignified way no one knew better how to assume.

He seemed completely taken aback, he had never calculated on such a proceeding, and for a second or two he made no response, becoming red and white by turns as difierent emotions swayed his mind ; he seemed to be thinking what to say ; at last he spoke in what he must have meant for a half conciliatory, half ofiended air.

" What did you mean by doing that. Lady Grordon ?" ** I meant that I do not wish to have either the trouble or expense of keeping other people's children."

If he was surprised before, the feeling was not lessened now, he replied in a less confident manner;

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It

" I thoiTglit you were so much attached to the children nothing could induce you to part with them."

" You are both right and wrong in your analysis of my feelings They are sweet children and I love them dearly, but they are yours not mine, a father is undoubtedly the best person to bring up his own children."

" That is true, but your Ladyship is aware that my finances are very limited ; you were accustomed during the life time of my dear departed wife," here he produced a spotlessly white pocket handkerchief with a black border, which he applied to his eyes. I thought of the pantomime I had witnessed opposite the picture. Lady Grordon's compressed lips and lowered brow expressed the contempt she felt. With a deeply audible sigh he released his imprisoned eyes and resumed his speech exactly where he left off, as if it was something he had learned by rote " to send us continual tokens of your regard, without which my dear Margaret could not have had the luxuries or the attendance I desired for her ; my income is not increased, how do you think it is possible I can pay board for the children ?"

" I do not think it desirable that you should ; every father should have his children in his own house and under his own care" was her Ladyship's reply, uttered with a tone and look of cool indifference.

" I have no one who will care for the children now, do you think it advisable to intrust them to the charge of servants ?"

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" Where is the widowed sister you talked of as likely to make your house her home in case you settled in Britain after your marriage ? Her presence seems to be more necessary to your welfare now than before."

He paused for a second or two and then drawled out " She — is — married."

Her Ladyship made no answer ; a long pause broken by Captain Percy, saying " perhaps the best thing I can do is to follow her example. What does your Ladyship think of that ?"

" I have too many affairs of my own to attend to end think of, consequently I cannot spare time to think over your future; and were it otherwise it would be highly impertinent in me to interfere in what cannot possibly concern me."

He was unprepared for this, and again at a loss for an answer ; at last it came. ^

" Your Ladyship was not equally indifferent to my last marriage."

To his surprise doubtless, as well as mine. Lady Grordon returned no answer either by word or sign, merely leaned back in her chair and continued looking in his face, with the same haughty, cold expression she had worn on her entrance, recovering himself he added hastily " I wish I could, but no, it is impossible for me to forget, where I love I love for ever."

He sat with his body bent down over his hands, those clasped together held his black bordered pocket

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handkercliief, his knees pressed close to each other while his feet extended so as to form a Y, the lower and inner edge of the foot alone touching the floor. The appearance he presented seemed in my eyes to be nearer that of a swollen frog, than an officer in Her Majesty's service, married to the beautiful young original ot the cabinet picture opposite ; seated as he was with his head bent down he could not see the expression of contempt and scorn which played on Lady G-ordon's face as she kept her gaze intently fixed on him, but without seeing her Ladyship's countenance he was e^ddently ill at ease, he probably realized from former experience what emotions his presence gave rise to.