A Crooked Path Part 65

"I am sure I don't know, miss. I dare say he's gone out. He is up the next flight."

"May I ask you to inquire if he is in? If not, would you be so kind as to leave this note?"

The woman took it with a rather discontented suspicious air, but finding it was accompanied by a coin of the realm, went on her errand with great alacrity. Katherine followed slowly.

"You're to walk up at once; he's in," said the emissary, meeting her at the top of the stair.

At the door stood Errington, her note in his hand, and a serious, uneasy expression on his countenance. Katherine was very white; her eyes were dilated with a look of fear and distress.

"Pray come in," said Errington; and he closed the door behind her. "I fear you are in some difficulty. You can speak without reserve; I am quite alone."

Katherine was aware of pa.s.sing through a small room with doors right and left, and possessing only a couple of chairs and a small table; through this Errington led her to his sitting-room, which was almost lined with books, and comfortably furnished. He placed a chair for her, and returned to his own seat by a table at which he had been writing.

"The last time I came it was in the hope of a.s.sisting _you_ by my confession; now I have come to beg for your help--" She stopped abruptly. "My uncle's son George, who was believed to have been killed by bush-rangers in Australia more than fourteen years ago, has returned, alive and well."

"But can he prove his ident.i.ty?"

"I was with Mr. Newton when he came into the office, and the moment Mr.

Newton saw him he started up, exclaiming, 'George Liddell!' and I--I saw the likeness to his father."

"Did Newton know him formerly?"

"Yes; he seems to have been almost his only friend."

"How was it he did not put in an appearance and a.s.sert his rights before?"

"I will tell you all." And she went on to describe the interview which had just taken place, the curious vindictive spirit which her cousin displayed, his very recent knowledge of his father's death, and Mr.

Newton's words of warning, "He has the power to rob you even of the trifle you inherit from your father, by demanding the arrears of income since your uncle's death; he can beggar you."

"No doubt he can, but surely he will not!" exclaimed Errington.

"It seems to me that if he can he will. To give him up that which is his is quite right, and will not cost me a pang; but to be penniless, to send back my poor dear little boys, to be considered and treated as burdens by their mother and Colonel Ormonde--oh, I cannot bear it! I know now Charlie would be crushed and Cecil would be hardened. It is for this I come to you for help. Mr. Errington, I implore you to produce the will which puts this cruelty out of George Liddell's power. Surely you might say that not liking to disinherit me, you suppressed it? This is true, you know."

"The will!" exclaimed Errington, starting up and pacing the room in great agitation. "My G.o.d! I have destroyed it. Thinking it safer for you that it should be out of the way, I destroyed it, and by so doing I have given you, bound hand and foot, into the power of this man. Can you forgive me?--can you ever forgive me?" He took and wrung her hand, holding it for a moment, while he looked imploringly into her eyes.

"Oh yes, I do heartily forgive you. You only did it to save me from any chance of discovery. If only George Liddell will be satisfied not to claim the money I have spent, I may still be able to keep the boys, for I have nearly a hundred and fifty pounds a year quite my own," cried Katherine, loosing her hand. "Do not distress yourself, Mr. Errington. I know Mr. Newton will do his best for me, and perhaps my cousin will not exact the arrears. He says he is rich, and if I give him no trouble----"

she paused, for she could not command her voice, while the tears were already glittering in her eyes. Another word and they would have been rolling down her cheeks.

"Don't cry, for G.o.d's sake!" said Errington, in a low tone, resuming his seat. "What can be done to soften this fellow? Ah! Miss Liddell, we are quits now. If you robbed me, I have ruined you."

"From what different motives!" said Katherine, recovering her self-control. "_I_ am still the wrong-doer."

How heavenly sweet it was to be consoled and sympathized with by him!

But she dared not stay. It was terribly bold of her to have come to his rooms, only he would never misjudge her, and she was so little known she scarcely feared recognition by any one she might meet.

"Could I a.s.sist Mr. Newton at all in dealing with this kinsman of yours?" resumed Errington, gazing at her with a troubled look.

"I fear you could not. How are you to know anything of my troubles? No one dreams that you have any knowledge of my affairs; that you and you only are aware what an impostor I am."

"You are expiating your offence bitterly. But when the story of this George Liddell comes out, why should I not, as the son of his father's old friend, make his acquaintance, and try to persuade him to forego his full rights?"

"You might try," said Katherine, dejectedly. "Now I have trespa.s.sed long enough. I must go. I have to explain matters to Miss Payne, and I feel curiously dazed. Oh, if I can keep the boys!"

"If any effort of mine can help you, it is my duty as well as my sincere pleasure to do all I can."

"And if the will existed would you have acted on it?"

"Most certainly--in your defence."

"Ah!" cried Katherine, her eyes lighting up, her tremulous lips parting in a smile. "Then you would have had some of the money too."

"Then you quite forgive me?" again rising, and coming over to stand beside her.

"You must feel I do, Mr. Errington. Now I will say good-by. If you can help me with George, I shall be most grateful."

"Promise that you will look on me as one of your most devoted friends.

He took her hand again.

"Can you indeed feel friendship for one you cannot respect?" she returned, in a low tone, with one of the quick, vivid blushes which usually rose to her cheek when she was much moved.

"But I do respect you. Why should I not? A generous, impulsive woman like you cannot be judged by the cold maxims of exact justice; you must be tried by the higher rules of equity."

"You comfort me," said Katherine, with indescribably sweet graceful humility. "I thank you heartily, and will say good-by."

"I will come and see you into a cab," returned Errington, feeling himself anxious that no one should recognize her, and not knowing when their _tete-a-tete_ might be interrupted.

They went out together, and walked a little way in silence. "You will let me come and see you, to hear--" began Errington, when Katherine interrupted him.

"Not just now. I think we had better not seem to know anything of each other, or perhaps George Liddell may suspect you of being my friend."

"I see. But at least you will keep me informed of how things go on.

Remember how tormented I am with remorse for my hasty act."

"You need not be. But I will write. There--there is a cab."

Errington hailed it, handed her in carefully, and they said good-by with a sudden sense of intimacy which months of ordinary communication would not have produced.

It was a very serious undertaking to break the intelligence to Miss Payne, and poor Katherine felt quite exhausted before her exclamations, questions, and wonderings were half over.

On one or two points Miss Payne at once made up her mind, nor had she ever quite altered her opinion: This man representing himself as George Liddell was an impostor who had known the real "Simon Pure," and got himself up accordingly as soon as he heard that the late John Liddell had died intestate; that Mr. Newton was a weak-minded, credulous idiot to acknowledge this impostor at first sight, _if_ he were not a double-dealing traitor ready to play into the hands of the new claimant.

He ought to have thrown the onus of proof on _him_, instead of acknowledging his ident.i.ty by that childish exclamation. Don't tell _her_ that he was startled out of prudence and precaution. A spirit from above or below would not have thrown her (Miss Payne) off her guard where property was concerned, and what was the use of men's superior strength and courage if they could not hold their tongues in presence of an unexpected apparition?

She was, however, profoundly disturbed, and sent at once for her brother.

It was evening before he arrived in Wilton Street, having gone out before Miss Payne's note reached him. Like Errington, he was at first incredulous, and when he had gathered the facts of the case, absolutely overcome. In fact, he showed more emotion than Errington, yet it did not impress Katherine so much as Errington's deep, suppressed feeling.

"But what are you to do?" he said, raising his head, which he had bowed on his hand in a kind of despair.