Bernardine found her quite beside herself with excitement.
"I heard the whistle of the incoming train some fifteen minutes ago,Miss Moore," she said. "My son has reached the station by this time. Ihave sent our fastest team down to meet him. He will be here at anymoment. Ah! that is his step I hear now in the corridor! I am tremblingso with excitement that I can hardly stand. Do not leave, Miss Moore. Imay need you in case this meeting is too much for me and I should faintaway in his strong arms."
The footsteps that Bernardine remembered so well came nearer.
She pressed her hand tightly over her heart to still its wild beating.
Bernardine could have cried aloud in her agony; but her white lipsuttered no moan, no sound, even when the door was flung open and a tall,handsome form sprung over the threshold.
"Where are you, mother?" cried Jay Gardiner. "The room is so dark that Ican not see where you are!"
The next moment the proud, stately old lady was sobbing on the breast ofthe son she idolized.
She forgot that in the shadow of the alcove stood her companion; sheforgot the existence of every one save her darling boy, whom she claspedso joyfully.
Bernardine watched him herself, unseen, her whole heart in her eyes,like one turned into stone.
His handsome face was pale, even haggard; the dark hair, that waved backfrom the broad brow, was the same; but his eyes--those bonny, sunny,laughing blue eyes--were sadly changed. There was an unhappy look inthem, a restless expression, deepening almost into despair. There was astory of some kind in his face, a repressed passion and fire, asomething Bernardine could not understand.
"I am not alone, you must remember, mother, dear," he said in his deep,musical voice. "I have brought some one else for you to welcome. Look upand greet my wife, mother."
Slowly the grand old lady unwound her arms from about the neck of herhandsome, stalwart son, and turned rather fearfully toward the slenderfigure by her side.
At that moment young Mrs. Gardiner took a step forward, which broughther in the full glow of the lamp, and as Bernardine gazed, her heartsunk within her.
She saw, as the lovely young stranger threw back her gray silktraveling-cloak, a slim, beautiful creature, with golden hair, round,dimpled face, flushed cheeks and lips, and the brightest of blue,sparkling eyes--a girl who looked like some dazzling picture painted bysome old master, and who had just stepped out of a gilded frame. Herface was so lovely, that, as Bernardine gazed, her heart grew so heavyand strained with pain, that she thought it must surely break. _She wasthe same girl who had visited her at her humble home._
The grand old lady took the haughty young beauty in her arms, callingher "daughter," and bidding her welcome to Gardiner Castle, her futurehome.
"Ah! no wonder the man I loved deserted me for this beautiful being alllife, all sparkle, all fire," was the thought that rushed throughBernardine's breaking heart.
Then suddenly the old lady remembered her, and turned to her quickly,saying:
"Come forward, my dear girl. I wish to present my new companion to myson and his bride."
CHAPTER XLVI.
Bernardine stood still. She could not have moved one step forward if herlife depended on it; and thinking she had not heard, the old lady turnedto her, and repeated:
"I want my son and his wife to know you, my dear. You have been but ashort time beneath this roof, but in that time you have made yourself soindispensable to me that I could not do without you."
Both Jay Gardiner and his wife glanced carelessly in the directionindicated by his mother.
The room was in such dense shadow that they only saw a tall, slim formin a dark dress that seemed to melt into and become a part of thedarkness beyond.
They bowed slightly in the most thoughtless manner; then turned theirattention to Mrs. Gardiner, who had commenced telling them how eagerlyshe had watched for their coming, and of the strange presentiment thatsomething was going to happen.
That moment stood out forever afterward in the life of haplessBernardine.
She thought that when her eyes rested on the face that had been all theworld to her, she would fall dead at his feet. But she did not; nor didthe slightest moan or cry escape her white lips.
She had expected that Jay Gardiner would cry out in wonder or in angerwhen he saw her; that he would recognize her with some show of emotion.But he only looked at her, and then turned as carelessly away as anystranger might have done. And in that moment, as she stood there, thevery bitterness of death passed over her.
Mrs. Gardiner's next remark called their attention completely away fromher, for which she was most thankful.
"Dear me, how very selfish I am!" exclaimed the grand old lady, indismay. "I had forgotten how time is flying. The guests will bewondering why you and your bride tarry so long, my dear boy. A servantwill show you to your suite of rooms. Your luggage must have beenalready taken there. You will want to make your toilets. When you areready to go down to the reception-room, let me know.
"Do not forget to wear all the Gardiner diamonds to-night, my dear,"were the lady-mother's parting words. "Every one is expecting to seethem on you. They are famous. You will create a sensation in them; youwill bewilder, dazzle, and astonish these country folk."
Bernardine did not hear the young wife's reply. She would have given allshe possessed to throw herself on her knees on the spot his feet hadpressed and wept her very life out.
Ah! why had he wooed her in that never-to-be-forgotten past, made herlove him, taken her heart from her, only to break it?
A moment later, Miss Margaret glided into the room and went straight upto her mother's side.
"I have just greeted and welcomed Jay and his bride, mamma," she said,speaking before her mother's companion quite as though she had not beenpresent. But she paused abruptly as though she thought it best to cutthe sentence short.
"Well," replied her mother, eagerly, "do you like Jay's bride, Margaret?You always form an opinion when you first meet a person, which usuallyproves to be correct."
"My brother does not look quite happy," replied Miss Margaret, slowly."His bride is most beautiful--indeed, I have never met a young woman sostrangely fascinating--but there is something about her that repels evenwhile it draws me toward her."
"I experienced the same feeling, Margaret," returned Mrs. Gardiner. "Butit seems to me only natural that we should experience such a sensationwhen looking upon the face of the woman who has taken first place in theheart of my only boy and your only brother. As to Jay not being quitehappy, I think that is purely your imagination, Margaret. Theirs was alove match, and they are in the height of their honey-moon. Why shouldhe not be happy, I ask you!"
"And I reply, mamma, that I do not know," replied Miss Margaret,thoughtfully. "It is simply the way the expression of his face and hismanners struck me. But I must hurry down to our guests again. Will youaccompany me, mamma, that we may both be together to receive them in thedrawing-room and present them?"
The young wife stood before the long French mirror, scarcely glancing atthe superb picture she presented, as Antoinette, her maid, deftly putthe finishing touches to her toilet.
"There is only one thing needed to make my lady fairly radiantto-night," declared Antoinette, in her low, purring voice, "and that isthe diamonds. You will let me get them all and deck you with them--twinethem about that superb white neck, those perfect arms and----"
"Hush!" exclaimed Sally, impatiently. "Didn't you hear me say Ishouldn't wear the diamonds to-night."
Jay Gardiner, entering his wife's _boudoir_ unexpectedly at that moment,could not help overhearing her remark.
His brow darkened, and a gleam of anger shot into his blue eyes. Hestepped quickly to his wife's side.
"You _will_ wear the diamonds!" he said in the most authoritative tonehe had yet used to her. "You heard my mother express the wish that youshould do so. Moreover, it has been the custom in our family forgenerations for brides to wear them at a reception given in honor ofthe
ir home-coming."
With these words, he strode into his own room--an inner apartment--andclosed the door after him with a bang.
Looking up into her young mistress's face, the shrewd Antoinette sawthat she was greatly agitated, and pale as death. But she pretended notto notice it.
"Shall I not get the diamonds from your little hand-bag, my lady?" sheasked, eagerly.
"No; you can not get them," cried Sally, hoarsely, her teeth chattering,her eyes fairly dilating with fright; "_they are not there!_"
CHAPTER XLVII.
Young Mrs. Gardiner stooped down until her lips were on a level with themaid's ear.
"My diamonds are not in the little leather hand-bag, Antoinette,"she panted. "The hour has come when I must make a confidant of you,and ask you to help me, Antoinette. You are clever; your brain isfull of resources; and you must help me out of this awful web thathas tangled itself about me. I--I lost the diamonds on the night ofthe grand ball--the last night we were at Newport, and--and I darenot tell my husband. Now you see my position, Antoinette. I--I cannot wear the diamonds, and I do not know how to turn my husband fromhis purpose of making me put them on. He may refuse to go down tothe reception-room--or, still worse, he may ask for them. I can notsee the end, Antoinette. I am between two fires. I do not know whichway to leap to save myself. Do you understand?"
"Perfectly, my lady," returned the wily maid. "Leave your trouble to me.I will find some way to get you out of it."
"You must think quickly, Antoinette!" cried Sally, excitedly. "He saidhe would return for me within ten minutes. Half that time has alreadypassed. Oh--oh! what shall I do?"
"You must not excite yourself, my lady," replied Antoinette, quickly."Worry brings wrinkles, and you can not afford to have any but pleasantthoughts. I have said you can rely upon me to think of some way out ofthe dilemma."
"That is easier said than done, Antoinette," declared her mistress,beginning to pace excitedly up and down the room, the color burning intwo bright red spots on her cheeks.
Antoinette crossed over to the window, and stood looking outthoughtfully into the darkness. Her brain was busy with the numerousschemes that were flitting through it.
At that, moment fate pointed out an unexpected way to her. She heardfootsteps in the corridor, and just then it flashed upon Antoinette thatshe had heard her master giving orders to his valet to bring him a glassof brandy. The man was returning with it.
Quick as a flash, Antoinette crossed the room and flung open the door.
"Andrew," she whispered to the man who was passing, "I want you to do afavor for me."
"A hundred if you like," replied the man, good-humoredly. "But I haven'ttime to listen to you now. I'll take master this brandy--which, by theway, is the best of its kind. I wish he'd take a notion to leave half ofit in the glass, for it's fairly nectar--then I'll be back in a trice,and you can consider me at your service for the rest of the evening."
"But it's _now_ I want you, Andrew--this very minute!" cried Antoinette."Set your glass right down here; nobody will see it; I'll keep guardover it. My errand won't take you more than a minute. Master won't misshis brandy for that short time. He'll enjoy it all the more when he getsit."
Andrew hesitated an instant, and we all know what happens to the man whohesitates--he is lost.
"Well, what is it you want, Antoinette?" he replied, good-humoredly."If it only takes me a minute, as you say, I don't mind accommodatingyou."
"I lost my little gold cross in the lower hall a few moments ago. Iheard something drop as I was hurrying along, but did not miss it untiljust now, and I can't leave my lady to go and get it. Some one may comealong and find it, and I'd never get it again. For goodness' sake, goquick, Andrew, and look for it. Not an instant's to be lost."
Suspecting nothing, the good fellow hurriedly set down the glass, andhastened away to do her bidding.
His back was scarcely turned ere Antoinette flew to her own apartments,which adjoined her mistress's, and took from a trunk, which she unlockedwith a very strange-looking key, a small vial. A few grains of thecontents she emptied into the palm of her hand, and in less time than ittakes to write it, they were transferred to the glass of brandy anddissolved at once with its amber contents.
She had scarcely accomplished this ere Andrew returned, quite flushedfrom hurrying.
"I am sorry to bring you bad news, Antoinette," he said; "but some onehas been there before me and picked up your cross. I met the butler, andwe both searched for it. He has promised to make strict inquiriesconcerning it, and get it back for you if it be possible."
"You are very good to take so much trouble upon yourself," declaredAntoinette, with a well-enacted sigh. "I suppose I shall survive theloss of it. It is a trinket that isn't of much value only as akeep-sake. But I won't keep you standing there talking any longer,Andrew; your master will be waiting for the brandy."
"I'll see you later, Antoinette," he said, nodding as he picked up hisglass.
The next moment he had disappeared within his master's apartments.
When she returned to her mistress she found Mrs. Gardiner in a state ofnervousness.
"The time is almost up, and you have devised no plan as yet,Antoinette," she cried, wringing her hands. "See! the ten minutes havealmost elapsed. Oh--oh! what shall I do?"
"Monsieur will not come in ten minutes' time, my lady," replied themaid, with a knowing nod; "nor will he go to the reception. There wasbut one way out of it," declared Antoinette. "If he came after you to godown to the reception, the diamonds would have to be produced, so I saidto myself he must not come, he must be prevented at all hazards. I knewof but one way, and acted upon the thought that came to me. Monsieur hadordered some brandy; I intercepted the valet, sent him off on a fool'serrand, holding the glass until he returned, and while he was gone I puta heavy sleeping potion, which I often take for the toothache, inmonsieur's glass of brandy. After taking it, he will fall into a deepsleep, from which no one will be able to awake him. The consequence is,he will not come for my lady to take her down to the reception to-night,and she is free to suit herself as to whether she will wear diamonds ornot. No other occasion for wearing them may take place for some time. Iwill think of something else by that time."
"You have saved me, Antoinette!" cried the guilty woman, sinking downupon the nearest chair and trembling with excitement. "Oh, how can Iever thank you!"
"If my lady would do something in the way of raising my pay, I would bemuch obliged," replied the girl, her black eyes glittering.
She knew the trembling woman before her was in her power. The game hadbeen commenced, the first trump had been played, and Antoinette meant towin all in the end.
"I shall be only too glad to do so," returned Sally, realizing for thefirst time the unpleasantness of being dictated to by her maid.
"And if madame would make me a present of some money to-night, I couldmake excellent use of it."
"I haven't any ready money just now," returned Sally, a dull red flushcreeping over the whiteness of her face. "I have spent all last month'sallowance, and it's only the middle of the month now."
"I would take the gold chain in the jewel-case which madame neverwears," replied the girl, boldly.
"Antoinette, you are a fiend!" cried Sally Gardiner, starting to herfeet in a rage. "How dare you expect that I would give you my goldchain, girl?"
"Madame could not afford to refuse my request," answered the girl. "Ifshe wants me to keep her secret, she must pay well. The service I haverendered to-night is worth what I ask."
"Take the chain," said young Mrs. Gardiner, with a short gasp. "I--Ishall not need your services after to-night. Take the chain, and--go!"
"So, so, madame!" cried the girl. "That is the way you would repay mefor what I have done, for you? Discharge Antoinette, eh? Oh, no, mylady; you will think better of those hasty words, especially as I have asuspicion of where madame's diamonds have gone."
"I lost them at the ball that night in Newport," cried Sal
ly, springinghastily to her feet, and facing the girl, her temper at a white heat.
"Monsieur Victor Lamont was with my lady when she lost them," returnedAntoinette, softly. "She wore them when she entered the carriage on thebeach that night, and she returned at day-break without them. You wouldnot like monsieur to know of that romantic little episode, eh?"
"I repeat, you are a fiend incarnate!" gasped Sally, trembling like anaspen leaf.
"My lady sees it would be better to temporize with Antoinette than tomake an enemy of her. She will think better of discharging one whoseassistance may prove valuable to her. I will say no more. They arecoming to see what detains madame and her husband, little dreaming whatis in store for them."
CHAPTER XLVIII.
At that moment Andrew, the valet, came flying out of his master's room.
"Oh, Miss Margaret! Miss Margaret!" he cried, hoarsely, "how can I evertell you what had happened? But it was a mistake--indeed it was all amistake! I do not see how I ever came to do it!"
Margaret Gardiner hurriedly caught the man's arm in a firm grasp,looking sternly in his face.
"Andrew," she said, with great calmness, "stop that shouting, and tellme instantly what the matter is. Has--has--anything happened my brotheror--or his wife?"
Her quiet tone brought the valet to his senses more quickly thananything else could have done.
"Yes, I'll tell you, Miss Margaret," he answered, hoarsely; "and thoughmaster turns me off to-morrow for it, I swear to you earnestly that itwas all a terrible mistake."