HER LADYSHIP'S COMPANION

Auckland Star, Volume LXV, Issue 25, 30 January 1934, Page 17

HER LADYSHIP'S COMPANION

ay . HEDLEY RICHARDS

Or THE WEB OF FATE ___ Author of V "Out of Darkness," "A Day of ReoKonlngi" eto.

CHAPTER XXVUI. j A Strange Brjdal. "Will he live?" she asked the doctor, her voice scarcely above a whisper, tense with feeling. He saw she could not hear uncertainty. "I cannot save him," ho answered gravely. "But another doctor, a man from London might," she said, clutching his arm. "We have telegraphed for Doctor Darling, but he can do nothing." '"Oh, you don't know, lie has a wider experience than you. He must save him." Dr. Jackson decided it was better to speak plainly. "I don't think Mr. Stapleton will live ur.til he conies," he said. She fixed her eyes on him, and knew that he believed what he said. Then her self-control deserted her, and she cried

"Take mo to him. I will pull him back from the brink of the grave. I will light with Death for his lite. Where is he?" And she took a step forward, but the doctor laid his hand on her arm, as he said: "You cannot go to him now; the lawyer is with Mr. Stapleton, and you must control yourself, or 3-011 will hasten the end." His tone was firm, though kind. ''Haster the end! Was it so near?" She trembled, and would have fallen if Jack had not put his arm round her, and the doctor whispered to Lord Finklo to get some brandy. A few minutes later she spoke firmly and quietly. She had evidently regained her self-control.

"Will the. lawyer be long? Is it needful he should waste the- time that you say will be so short?" she asked, her voice faltering over the last words. "It was Ronald's wish to see him, and I don't think he will be long," said Jack. She did not answer; she was trying to control herself. If Ronald was going to die, there would be time enough after to weep. Now she must be calm. Just then a door opened and Mr. Rose, accompanied by Sir John, came along the hall. Then, seeing Esther, Sir John said:

"Come, my darling, he wants you." and he drew Esther's arm through his. leading her to the room that Ronald had called his den. A small iron bedstead had been brought there, and he lay on it, his face looking so deathlike that she thought he must be dead.. but the opening of the door roused him and his eyes met hers with a look ol undving love. She moved quickly to the bod and sank on a chair that stood beside it. "Ronald, you must get better. I cannot live without you," she eaid in a low, impassioned tone. He clasped her hand, as he saitl

faintlv: "I wish I could, my beloved. But my time has come, and I must meet it like a bravo man. It is the leaving vou that make* it so hard, and now, just when we vrere looking forward to a life of happiness. . But God-knows best. I'vo not been what the world calls a religious man, but I can trust the great Father to do the best for Hie children, and you must try to believe this, and remember that I shall love you in that other world to which I am going, because love is of God. But, dear one, in the time to come, if you feel lonely, I want you to know that I should not grudge your happiness with another man, and I have left you all I had it in my power to leave," he said. Then hia voice died

away. „ "He lias talked enough at present, said the doctor, who had entered the room unnoticed by her. Minutes pa*sed, then an hour had (vone; still Esther eat motionless beside the bed, holding Ronald's hand that seemed to be growing colder. Byt she could only think of one thing. Ronald whom ehe loved, was going to leave her for ever. Not all her passionate love could keep him back. Once she grasped his hand so tightly, feeling that she would not let him go, that he opened hm eyes that were already growing dun ana looked at her tenderly, pityingly, and sho felt that he understood. Then, art the clock struck three, there was a change, one or two quick gasps, and it was all over. "He is dead," said the doctor reverently. , , , .„ "Ronald. Ronald, come back to me. she said, bending over him. But there was no change on the etill face. He had gone where not even the dearest could call him back. Jack stepped forward. "Dear Esther, you had better come away. Afterwards you can sec him again," he said gently. . She turned almost fiercely on him saying: "Go away. You didn't care foi

him." \ , i. i Sir John came forward and whispered a few soothing words. But Esther still refused to leave her best beloved, until Lady Esliiigton put her arm round her and drew her out of the room, leading her to the morning room that had been newly decorated for the bride. "It was all ready, and the bride will never use it," she said, looking round m tearless grief. Then she added: "I hope they'll hang the man who shot him, Nelson Cooper." . . . "Hush, my darling," said Lady Eslmgr ton. ~ ~ , "I do hope it. T would go miles tc see him hanged. Hasn't he ruined my life?" she said, in a bitterly vindictive tone. "My dear, it was an accident.

The girl did not reply, but began pacing up and down the room in nn agony ofVlcf that waß dreadful to witness Tlio hours pa«sed on. Miss Hartwell had to receive the guests at the Abbey and tell them there would be no wedding, while Lady Eslington stayed at the Grange with the girl who had passed from the greatest joy to the deepest grief in a few hours. - _,_,,. As the evening drew on Lady Islington suggested it was time they went home, but Esther received her words with bitterness. "Home! This was to have been my home, and T shall not leave here until ther take him away," she said. Finding she was inflexible in her resolution to remain at the Grange, and feelin" that it was her duty to return to the 3 Abbey and explain to her guesta more fully 'than Miss Hartwell would have done, she telephoned to the ball, asking Ladv Jane to come over at once, and in less than an hour she arrived, and was at once shown into the morning room, which Esther was still pacing with the same restless step. She had refused to take any food, but she had drunk a cup of tea. At the opening of the door she turned quicklr round. Hitherto she had taken no notice of the comings or goings. pt anyone; but now she seemed to be alert, and as Ladv Jane entered she said: "I thought it was you. .So you've come to exult over mel You've always

condemned me. You didn't care for him, but you hated me tor taking him from yoii. Yes, J made up my mind I'd win life love that night he kissed me in mistake for you, and he.told me he loved mc from that moment, that fate meant us for each other. But he's gone', and you are glad, because I tried {o make out you'd killed Dumarsquc. 1 didn't want them to hang you, but I said enough to make-him shrink from marrying you as though you'd been a leper! He loved me, only mc; but fate has tricked me. Ronald, Ronald, I want you! Come back!" and her voice rang through the silence so that the footman in the hall heard it and shivered.

A moment later and Esther's voice became low and intense, as she said: "I'm going to kill the man who shot him—Cooper, Nelson Cooper—unless you'll fetch the hangman and hang him from a beam in the hall." And she looked at Lady Islington, who shrank back in fear, knowing that the girl's reason had given way under the terrible strain. Then Esther danced lightly across the room to where Lady Jane was standing, saving: "So you've come to sec me in my new home. Isn't it lovely? Ronald had it all done up." And she glanced round. 'Tm a bride, a beautiful bride." Then,

dashing past Lady Jane, she opened the door and rushed into the hall, almost running into Sir John and Jack, who were coming to sec when Lady Eslingtou would be able to go home, and, rushing past them, she ran on till she came to the door of the room in which Ronald lay, and opening it she entered. A dim light was burning, just revealing the outline of the form on the bed, and, stepping to the bedside, she said: "Ronald, wake up, I've come for you; it's our wedding day." Then, as her eves rested on his face, the knowledge tliat he was dead pierced her clouded brain, and, screaming "Dead! Dead! I'm the bride of death." she would have fallen on the floor if Sir John had not caught her in his arms. When the moon rose over the old house the master lay dead in one room, and in the chamber that he had fitted up with every luxury for his bride, Esther screamed and struggled, while the doctor and nurse, hastily summoned, watched her, and listened with pity to her calls for Konald, and pleas to be let-

50 to him. The servants shuddered as they passed up and down the corridor, and realised that the house of joy had been turned into a house of mourning. While Esther still lay between life and death, tended by two nurses, Ronald was carried out of the house. After the funeral the will was read, and it was found that Ronald had left legacies to the housekeeper, butler and servants. Then all that he had saved, about £20,000, went to Esther Collinson, the woman who was to have been his wife. "Of course, the estate being entailed, goes to Lady Jane Tempest, his only relative, the entail providing that in case there are no male heirs it passes io the female. You sec, Mr. Stapleton came into the estate young, and it" he hadn't been so liberal, would have left still more personal estate," said the lawyer. Within half an hour the servants were discussing their new mistress, and wondering if the Grange would be shut up.

CHAPTER XXXIII. Conclusion. Tlio snowdrops and crocuses were blooming in the gardens at Lynton Hall and tlie Grange when Lady Jane was to be married. It was the afternoon before the wedding dav, and Jack, since the tragic deaHi of Ronald Stapleton, had been living at the Grange. Lady Jane had not wished to close the house, and after much discussion it had been decided that Jack should spend the remainder of his bachelor clays there, then afterwards it should be Miss Tempest's home. Sin had a nice income, and could afford to keep it -up, as Jane would not hear of her paving rent, and Miss Tempest had strongly objected to remain at the Hall when the newly married couple took up their residence there. "Young people were best alone,' she said. So the matter was settled, and the old servants at the Grange regarded it as a very satisfactory arrangement. When Esther was strong enough the Eslingtons had taken her abro:: 1, and they spent the winter in the South of France. Lady Eslington had written telling them that Esther was slowiy gaining strength, but no letter had come from the" latter, and now Sir John was coming to give his ward in marriage to Jack, and as Lady Jane sat by the lire in the hall she what news he • would bring.

Would he tell them she was the crushed, lifeless girl who had left the house that was to have been the scone of her married happiness, or would they hear she was regaining something ot the old life and vigour* The sound of a footstep aroused her, and at tlie same moment she saw Jack coming towards her. "I'm in time to welcome Sir John, I sec," he said, as he seated himself beside his sweetheart.

"Of course you are, you're always m time to do your duty," said a woman « voice, and they saw Miss Tempest, who took her place at the tea table. 1 hope Sir John won't have missed Hi» train. If not he should be here in a minute or two," she said as the butler put the urn on the table. \t that instant the bell rang. lucre was a slight bustle at the entrance, and Ladv Jaiie. accompanied by Jack, wenc forward to greet Sir John, who shook hands heartilv. but they saw that he looked older and graver; the events ot the last few months had left their marks on him. , ~ , "It's food to be back here, though of course it's warmer where wei have been, and the change, has done Esther Kood" he said as he took his cup of tea from Miss Tempest. "By the way, Jane, I've a letter for you," he said, handing her a letter, and she recognised Esthers writing. "She's sent you a present as well, but that's in my bag. I'll give it you later," said Sir John. "Thank you. Is she better?" "Yes. At first we thought she would never recover, but gradually she has roused to take an interest in things

u-ouiid her, and she is physically Wronger. Poor girl, she has suffered erriblv," said Sir John. Half' an hour later, when he had gone to his room and Lady Jane and Jack were sitting in the inglenook close to the hall lire she took Esthers letter D ut of the envelope and held it so that her lover could read it at the same time, and they saw it began:

"Dear Jane-There have been times when I have hated to think ot you and know that you had Jack left to you— Jack and the Grange, where I had believed I should reign as mistress, happy in Ronald's love. Gradually, however a better spirit has come and I cannot bear to think of the Grange with another mistress. Sir John tells me that Jack has been living there, and will do so until the wedding, when Miss Tempest is going to make it her home. Jane you ore brave to let your lover live at the Grange until the wedding day. It seems to me an ill-fated house, but then I did not deserve happiness. I tried to steal your lover from you— not that he would ever have loved you as he loved me. Still, I did my best to wean him from you, and my sin has brought its punishment. At first, after I recovered consciousness, my greatest torture was that I believed Ronald woula realise —in the world to which he had gone—that I was a despicable creature, then I remembered how he had loved me and I felt sure that he would not despise me, and I began to try to grow more like the woman I knew he had believed me to be, and I often fancy he is helping me to rise. Jane, will you forgive me the wrong I did you,

not only in trying to win Ronalds love, but in attempting to throw suspicion on von when Dumarsque was murdered? 1 'think you will, and when we come back to the Abbey—the Eslingtons say I must always live witli them, and I love them dearly—you will tell me that lam for..iven" Sir John is bringing a wedding present from me.-That no cloud may 'hadow vour wedding day is the wish of '"Esther.

"Poor girl!" said Jack. Jane sighed softly, then she said: "Sorrow is a hard taskmaster, but he has taught both Esther and me something." . , . . "You are perfect," replied Jack, kissing her. Jane smiled.

"You wouldn't want me if I was perfect. We shouldn't match," she answered, and .lack agreed with Ver. The next day thei r e was a quiet wedding in Lyuton Church. Lady Jane made a gracious, dignified-looking bride, and Jack appeared supremely happy. "She's a noble-looking woman, our Lady Jane, but for beauty she cannot touch her ladyship's companion, as was to have been Mrs. Stapleton. Now she was a beautiful girl, and things have pone hard for her," said a village woman to her neighbour as they turned away from the church. Sir John, as he walked down the Beech Avenue, on his way to the Grange, after the newly-married couple had departed, thought: "So after all the two estates are joined, and they ought to be, seeing 'they march together." THE END.