CHAPTER X
In the mean time, Mrs. Ferrari held to her resolution. She wentstraight from Mr. Troy's office to Newbury's Hotel.
Lady Montbarry was at home, and alone. But the authorities of thehotel hesitated to disturb her when they found that the visitordeclined to mention her name. Her ladyship's new maid happened tocross the hall while the matter was still in debate. She was aFrenchwoman, and, on being appealed to, she settled the question in theswift, easy, rational French way. 'Madame's appearance was perfectlyrespectable. Madame might have reasons for not mentioning her namewhich Miladi might approve. In any case, there being no ordersforbidding the introduction of a strange lady, the matter clearlyrested between Madame and Miladi. Would Madame, therefore, be goodenough to follow Miladi's maid up the stairs?'
In spite of her resolution, Mrs. Ferrari's heart beat as if it wouldburst out of her bosom, when her conductress led her into an ante-room,and knocked at a door opening into a room beyond. But it is remarkablethat persons of sensitively-nervous organisation are the very personswho are capable of forcing themselves (apparently by the exercise of aspasmodic effort of will) into the performance of acts of the mostaudacious courage. A low, grave voice from the inner room said, 'Comein.' The maid, opening the door, announced, 'A person to see you,Miladi, on business,' and immediately retired. In the one instantwhile these events passed, timid little Mrs. Ferrari mastered her ownthrobbing heart; stepped over the threshold, conscious of her clammyhands, dry lips, and burning head; and stood in the presence of LordMontbarry's widow, to all outward appearance as supremelyself-possessed as her ladyship herself.
It was still early in the afternoon, but the light in the room was dim.The blinds were drawn down. Lady Montbarry sat with her back to thewindows, as if even the subdued daylight were disagreeable to her. Shehad altered sadly for the worse in her personal appearance, since thememorable day when Doctor Wybrow had seen her in his consulting-room.Her beauty was gone--her face had fallen away to mere skin and bone;the contrast between her ghastly complexion and her steely glitteringblack eyes was more startling than ever. Robed in dismal black,relieved only by the brilliant whiteness of her widow's cap--recliningin a panther-like suppleness of attitude on a little green sofa--shelooked at the stranger who had intruded on her, with a moment's languidcuriosity, then dropped her eyes again to the hand-screen which sheheld between her face and the fire. 'I don't know you,' she said.'What do you want with me?'
Mrs. Ferrari tried to answer. Her first burst of courage had alreadyworn itself out. The bold words that she had determined to speak wereliving words still in her mind, but they died on her lips.
There was a moment of silence. Lady Montbarry looked round again atthe speechless stranger. 'Are you deaf?' she asked. There was anotherpause. Lady Montbarry quietly looked back again at the screen, and putanother question. 'Do you want money?'
'Money!' That one word roused the sinking spirit of the courier'swife. She recovered her courage; she found her voice. 'Look at me, mylady, if you please,' she said, with a sudden outbreak of audacity.
Lady Montbarry looked round for the third time. The fatal words passedMrs. Ferrari's lips.
'I come, my lady, to acknowledge the receipt of the money sent toFerrari's widow.'
Lady Montbarry's glittering black eyes rested with steady attention onthe woman who had addressed her in those terms. Not the faintestexpression of confusion or alarm, not even a momentary flutter ofinterest stirred the deadly stillness of her face. She reposed asquietly, she held the screen as composedly, as ever. The test had beentried, and had utterly failed.
There was another silence. Lady Montbarry considered with herself.The smile that came slowly and went away suddenly--the smile at once sosad and so cruel--showed itself on her thin lips. She lifted herscreen, and pointed with it to a seat at the farther end of the room.'Be so good as to take that chair,' she said.
Helpless under her first bewildering sense of failure--not knowing whatto say or what to do next--Mrs. Ferrari mechanically obeyed. LadyMontbarry, rising on the sofa for the first time, watched her withundisguised scrutiny as she crossed the room--then sank back into areclining position once more. 'No,' she said to herself, 'the womanwalks steadily; she is not intoxicated--the only other possibility isthat she may be mad.'
She had spoken loud enough to be heard. Stung by the insult, Mrs.Ferrari instantly answered her: 'I am no more drunk or mad than youare!'
'No?' said Lady Montbarry. 'Then you are only insolent? The ignorantEnglish mind (I have observed) is apt to be insolent in the exercise ofunrestrained English liberty. This is very noticeable to us foreignersamong you people in the streets. Of course I can't be insolent to you,in return. I hardly know what to say to you. My maid was imprudent inadmitting you so easily to my room. I suppose your respectableappearance misled her. I wonder who you are? You mentioned the nameof a courier who left us very strangely. Was he married by any chance?Are you his wife? And do you know where he is?'
Mrs. Ferrari's indignation burst its way through all restraints. Sheadvanced to the sofa; she feared nothing, in the fervour and rage ofher reply.
'I am his widow--and you know it, you wicked woman! Ah! it was an evilhour when Miss Lockwood recommended my husband to be his lordship'scourier--!'
Before she could add another word, Lady Montbarry sprang from the sofawith the stealthy suddenness of a cat--seized her by bothshoulders--and shook her with the strength and frenzy of a madwoman.'You lie! you lie! you lie!' She dropped her hold at the thirdrepetition of the accusation, and threw up her hands wildly with agesture of despair. 'Oh, Jesu Maria! is it possible?' she cried. 'Canthe courier have come to me through that woman?' She turned likelightning on Mrs. Ferrari, and stopped her as she was escaping from theroom. 'Stay here, you fool--stay here, and answer me! If you cry out,as sure as the heavens are above you, I'll strangle you with my ownhands. Sit down again--and fear nothing. Wretch! It is I who amfrightened--frightened out of my senses. Confess that you lied, whenyou used Miss Lockwood's name just now! No! I don't believe you onyour oath; I will believe nobody but Miss Lockwood herself. Where doesshe live? Tell me that, you noxious stinging little insect--and youmay go.' Terrified as she was, Mrs. Ferrari hesitated. Lady Montbarrylifted her hands threateningly, with the long, lean, yellow-whitefingers outspread and crooked at the tips. Mrs. Ferrari shrank at thesight of them, and gave the address. Lady Montbarry pointedcontemptuously to the door--then changed her mind. 'No! not yet! youwill tell Miss Lockwood what has happened, and she may refuse to seeme. I will go there at once, and you shall go with me. As far as thehouse--not inside of it. Sit down again. I am going to ring for mymaid. Turn your back to the door--your cowardly face is not fit to beseen!'
She rang the bell. The maid appeared.
'My cloak and bonnet--instantly!'
The maid produced the cloak and bonnet from the bedroom.
'A cab at the door--before I can count ten!'
The maid vanished. Lady Montbarry surveyed herself in the glass, andwheeled round again, with her cat-like suddenness, to Mrs. Ferrari.
'I look more than half dead already, don't I?' she said with a grimoutburst of irony. 'Give me your arm.'
She took Mrs. Ferrari's arm, and left the room. 'You have nothing tofear, so long as you obey,' she whispered, on the way downstairs. 'Youleave me at Miss Lockwood's door, and never see me again.'
In the hall they were met by the landlady of the hotel. Lady Montbarrygraciously presented her companion. 'My good friend Mrs. Ferrari; I amso glad to have seen her.' The landlady accompanied them to the door.The cab was waiting. 'Get in first, good Mrs. Ferrari,' said herladyship; 'and tell the man where to go.'
They were driven away. Lady Montbarry's variable humour changed again.With a low groan of misery, she threw herself back in the cab. Lost inher own dark thoughts, as careless of the woman whom she had bent toher iron will as if no such person sat by her side, she preserved asinister silence, until they reached the house where Miss Lockwoodlod
ged. In an instant, she roused herself to action. She opened thedoor of the cab, and closed it again on Mrs. Ferrari, before the drivercould get off his box.
'Take that lady a mile farther on her way home!' she said, as she paidthe man his fare. The next moment she had knocked at the house-door.'Is Miss Lockwood at home?' 'Yes, ma'am.' She stepped over thethreshold--the door closed on her.
'Which way, ma'am?' asked the driver of the cab.
Mrs. Ferrari put her hand to her head, and tried to collect herthoughts. Could she leave her friend and benefactress helpless at LadyMontbarry's mercy? She was still vainly endeavouring to decide on thecourse that she ought to follow--when a gentleman, stopping at MissLockwood's door, happened to look towards the cab-window, and saw her.
'Are you going to call on Miss Agnes too?' he asked.
It was Henry Westwick. Mrs. Ferrari clasped her hands in gratitude asshe recognised him.
'Go in, sir!' she cried. 'Go in, directly. That dreadful woman iswith Miss Agnes. Go and protect her!'
'What woman?' Henry asked.
The answer literally struck him speechless. With amazement andindignation in his face, he looked at Mrs. Ferrari as she pronouncedthe hated name of 'Lady Montbarry.' 'I'll see to it,' was all he said.He knocked at the house-door; and he too, in his turn, was let in.