XXX
And the summer wore away and the dripping autumn came, and with eachweek, each day almost, Josiah seemed to shrivel.
It was not very noticeable at first, after the ten days of sharp illnesswhich had prostrated him when he received the fatal letter.
He appeared to recover almost from that, and they went down toBessington Hall at the beginning of July. But there was no further talkof a second honeymoon.
Theodora's tenderness and devotion never flagged. If her heart wasbroken she could at least keep her word, and try to make her husbandhappy. And so each one acted a part, with much zeal for the other'swelfare.
It was anguish to Josiah to see his wife's sweet face grow whiter andthinner; she was so invariably bright and cheerful with him, soconsiderate of his slightest wish.
His pride and affection for her had turned into a sort of adoration asthe days wore on. He used to watch her silently from behind a paper, orwhen she thought he slept. Then the mask of smiles fell from her, and hesaw the pathetic droop of her young, fair head and the mournful gloomthat would creep into her great, blue eyes.
And he was the stumbling-block to her happiness. She had sent away theman she loved in order to stay and be true to him, to minister to hiswants, and do her utmost to render him happy. Oh, what could he do forher in return? What possible thing?
He lavished gifts upon her; he lavished gifts upon her sisters, upon herfather; their welfare, he remembered, was part of the bargain. At leastshe would know these--her dear ones--had gained by it, and, so far, hersacrifice had not been in vain.
This thought comforted him a little. But the constant gnawing ache athis heart, and the withdrawal of all object to live for, soon began totell upon his always feeble constitution.
Of what use was anything at all? His house or his lands! His pride inhis position--even his title of "squire," which he often heard now. Allwere dead-sea fruit, dust and ashes; there never would be any Browns ofBessington in the years to come. There never would be anything for him,never any more.
For a week in September Captain and Mrs. Dominic Fitzgerald had paidthem a visit, and the brilliant bride had cheered them up for a littleand seemed to bring new life with her. She expressed herself ascompletely satisfied with her purchase in the way of a husband; it wasjust as she had known, three was a lucky number for her, and Dominic washer soul's mate, and they were going to lead the life they both loved,of continual movement and change and gayety.
But the situation at Bessington distressed her.
"Why, my dear, they are just like a couple of sick paroquets," she saidto her husband. "Mr. Brown don't look long for this world, and Theodorais a shadow! What in the Lord's name has been happening to them?"
But Dominic could not enlighten her. Before they left she determined toascertain for herself.
The last evening she said to Theodora, who was bidding her good-night inher room:
"I had a letter from your friend Lord Bracondale last week, from Alaska.He asks for news of you. Did you see him after he came from Paris? Hewas only a short while in England, I understand."
"Yes, we saw him once or twice," said Theodora, "and we made theacquaintance of his sister."
"He always seemed to be very fond of her. Is she a nice sort of woman?"
"Very nice."
"I hear the mother is clean crazy with him for going off again and notmarrying that heiress they are so set upon. But why should he? He don'twant the money."
"No," said Theodora.
"Was he at Beechleigh when you were there?"
"Yes."
"And Miss Winmarleigh, too?"
"Yes, she was there."
"Oh!" said Mrs. Fitzgerald. "A great lump of a woman, isn't she?"
"She is rather large."
This was hopeless--a conversation of this sort--Jane Fitzgerald decided.It told her nothing.
Theodora's face had become so schooled it did not, even to herstep-mother's sharp eyes, betray any emotion.
"I am glad if the folly is over," she thought to herself. "But Ishouldn't wonder if it Wasn't something to do with it still, after all.If it is not that, what can it be?" Then she said aloud: "He is goingthrough America, and we shall meet him when we get back in November,most likely. I shall persuade him to come down to Florida with us, if Ican. He seems to be aimlessly wandering round, I suppose, shootingthings; but Florida is the loveliest place in the world, and I wish youand Josiah would come, too, my dear."
"That would be beautiful," said Theodora, "but Josiah is not fit for along journey. We shall go to the Riviera, most probably, when theweather gets cold."
"Have you no message for him then, Theodora, when I see him?"
And now there was some sign. Theodora clasped her hands together, andshe said in a constrained voice:
"Yes. Tell him I hope he is well--and I am well--just that," and shewalked ever to the dressing-table and picked up a brush, and put it downagain nervously.
"I shall tell him no such thing," said her step-mother, kindly, "becauseI don't believe it is true. You are not well, dear child, and I amworried about you."
But Theodora assured her that she was, and all was as it should be, andnothing further could be got out of her; so they kissed and wished eachother good-night. And Jane Fitzgerald, left to herself, heaved a greatsigh.
Next day, after this cheery pair had gone, things seemed to take adeeper gloom.
The mention of Hector's name and whereabouts had roused Theodora'sdormant sorrows into activity again; and with all her will anddetermination to hide her anguish, Josiah could perceive an added noteof pathos in her voice at times and less and less elasticity in herstep.
Once he would have noticed none of these things, but now each shade ofdifference in her made its impression upon him.
And so the time wore on, their hearts full of an abiding grief.
When October set in Josiah caught a bad cold, which obliged him to keepto his bed for days and days. He did not seem very ill, and assured hiswife he would be all right soon; but by November, Sir Baldwin Evans, whowas sent for hurriedly from London, broke it gently to Theodora that herhusband could not live through the winter. He might not even live formany days. Then she wept bitter tears. Had she been remiss in anything?What could she do for him? Oh, poor Josiah!
And Josiah knew that his day was done, as he lay there in his splendid,silk-curtained bed. But life had become of such small worth to him thathe was almost glad.
"Now, soon she can be happy--my little girl," he said to himself, "withthe one of her class. It does not do to mix them, and I was a fool totry. But her heart is too kind ever to quite forget poor old JosiahBrown."
And this thought comforted him. And that night he died.
Then Theodora wept her heart out as she kissed his cold, thin hand.
When they got the telegram in New York at Mrs. Fitzgerald's mansion,Hector was just leaving the house, and Captain Fitzgerald ran after himdown the steps.
"My son-in-law, Josiah Brown, is dead," he said. "My wife thought youwould be interested to hear. Poor fellow, he was not very oldeither--only fifty-two."
Hector almost staggered for a moment, and leaned against the gildedbalustrade. Then he took off his hat reverently, while he said, in hisdeep, expressive voice:
"There lived no greater gentleman."
And Captain Fitzgerald wondered if he were mad or what he could mean,as he watched him stride away down the street.
But when he told his wife, she understood, for she had just learned fromHector the whole story.
And perhaps--who knows? Far away in Shadowland Josiah heard those words,"There lived no greater gentleman." And if he did--they fell like balmon his sad soul.