The adulteress

He would not prevent my telling Jessie about the will because that would interfere with the natural actions of human beings. He knew very well that his life could be in danger if she thought she would inherit Eversleigh on his death. But he was ready to risk that for the sake of the play.

After the orderly manner in which my life had been lived until I came on this visit it seemed incredible. I felt I had stepped into a world of fantasy and melodrama, a world of cynicism where what other people thought of as sin was simply the order of the day.

They were amoral, without that sense of duty and honor which, until I came here, had been the rule of life with me. And who was I to criticize? I had been caught up in this web of intrigue since had I had come here.

However, I had made up my mind that I was going to let Jessie know that it was to her advantage to keep Uncle Carl alive, for with his death all the blessings which she now enjoyed would be cut off.

After breakfast the next morning, I asked if I could have a word with her, and, looking rather surprised, she led me into the winter parlor.

I said: "I have had a letter from my mother. My husband is not well. I shall be returning home at the end of the week."

"I'm sorry to hear that," she said. "You must be worried, poor dear."

"I must get back, you see."

"Have you told Lordy?"

"Yes, I have."

She nodded.

"There is something else I wanted to say to you."

"Say on, my dear."

"I want to assure myself—and my family will want this too—as to the state of Lord Eversleigh's health."

"Oh, he's in good health, dear."

"I want the doctor's opinion. You understand my family will expect that, so I am going to ask him to call and give a thorough examination."

"Lordy won't like that."

"Well, I shall ask him to come in any case."

"For his age he'd take a lot of beating."

"It would be good to have that confirmed."

"Oh well, you must suit yourself."

"I shall. There is another matter. You must have guessed that Lord Eversleigh asked me here for a purpose."

"Why bless you, you're his relation. He just wanted to see you."

"Yes, but something else. He's made a will. It is now with Messrs. Rosen, Stead and Rosen ... you know, the solicitors in the town."

I was watching her closely. She lowered her eyes and I knew that she was afraid for me to see any sign of anger or speculation.

"Well," I went on, "you're comfortable here, and there is no reason why this situation might not go on for many years ... as long as we keep Lord Eversleigh healthy and strong. You see ..."

She did see. Under the carmine of her cheeks she had flushed and I saw the color spread down her neck. I was telling her as clearly as I could without actually stating the fact that I considered her capable of ... murder.

She recovered herself quickly. She was a good actress. I am sure she satisfied Uncle Carl in that respect as in many others: "Oh, I'll take care of him. You've nothing to fret about on that score. I'll keep him hale and hearty till he's a hundred."

"I am sure you will, and of course he is contented in his mind now that his will has been completed and is in safe hands. I had to get it properly executed. You can be sure that if this had not been so there could have been some difficulty. You know what solicitors are... . They spot loopholes. However, they have supervised this one and so we know that it is valid."

She hated me. How she hated me! I could feel it in her false smile. I was determined to get the doctor and have a verdict on my uncle's health. I knew that I had shaken her.

I was glad, concerning myself over this matter took my mind from my own desperate situation.

The time was passing. Soon I must be on my way home. Gerard was still waiting for a miracle. I really think he believed that I would abandon everything and go away with him.

The doctor came and spent an hour or so with Uncle Carl. His verdict was that my uncle's organs were in a sound condition. His inability to walk far was due to advanced rheumatism. With proper care he had years before him.

I conveyed this news to Jessie. She had recovered from the first shock of our encounter and was particularly ingratiating toward me.

She said: "Well, that's good news. You can rest assured, dearie, that every attention he needs he shall get. I'll make sure he's taken good care of."

She would, I believed, because if he were to die she would no longer have a comfortable home. I daresay the feathers for the nest might become more expensive. Well, that was Uncle Carl's affairs.

Whether she upbraided him for making the will after signing that "something" in her favor, I did not know. But what I did know was that Jessie was on the alert and she knew that if anything untoward happened to Uncle Carl I would be there with strong supporters to discover the reason why.

I thought I had made quite a good job of my mission and but for my own deplorable conduct I could be proud of myself.