Great Porter Square: A Mystery. v. 3

  CHAPTER XXXIX.

  MRS. HOLDFAST INSISTS UPON BECOMING AN ACTIVE PARTNER.

  The following night--the night which Mr. Pelham had sworn should bethe last of his search, and the last upon which he would continue hisdisguise as Richard Manx--this accomplished villain carried out hisintention of coming home to his garret in Mrs. Preedy's house muchearlier than usual. In fact, it was not more than half-past eight as heturned one of the streets which branched into Great Porter Square. Hewas in good spirits, despite that the night was as wretched and gloomyas the most despondent mortal could maliciously--out of hatred for hisspecies--have desired. All day long the rain had continued withoutintermission; the thoroughfares were in a deplorable condition of mudand slush, and those persons whose avocations did not compel them tobe out in the streets, gladly availed themselves of the comforts of afireside at home. These are not the occasions, especially in a city socrowded and selfish as London, when people are in the mood to be amiableand obliging, and it was therefore the more remarkable that RichardManx, by no means a gracious being as a rule, should have walked tohis lodgings in a glad and pleasant frame of mind. The fact was, goodfortune had smiled upon him. He had had a long interview with Mrs.Holdfast, who on this very day had come into possession of a large sumof money, realised from certain of her late husband's securities--sharesin railway companies which had been delivered to her, as his sole heirand executrix. It was, indeed, no less a sum than twelve thousandpounds, and of this she had, in compliance with Mr. Pelham's urgentdemands, given him a cheque for fifteen hundred pounds, the exact sum,as he declared, necessary to clear himself from pressing debts andliabilities. This cheque he had forthwith converted into Bank of Englandnotes, and they were safe in his pocket, with his other savings, withwhich he intended to make a large fortune at Monaco. Mrs. Holdfast hadalso consented to sell off her London house, and accompany him on a tourof pleasure. She, as well as he, was tired of the humdrum days; shesighed for excitement and adventure; the pleasure grounds of Europewere open to her, and now that she was a widow, and still young andbeautiful, and now that the terrible anxieties of the past twelve monthswere at an end, she determined to enjoy her life as such a pretty womanshould. There was another reason why she wished to get away from London,and indeed from England altogether, for a while. Since little Fanny hadaccosted her by the name of Grace, she did not feel herself safe. Therewas danger in the mere utterance of the name, and there was security inabsence from spots in which other persons, more cunning than a simplechild like Fanny, might by some chance recognise her. She thought itwould be as well to take the child with her; Fanny was a bright, cleverlittle creature, and might prove useful, and if she got tired of her, itwould be easy to lose her on the Continent, or place her in a situationwhere her babbling, if she were inclined to babble, could do no harm.

  Mr. Pelham had visited her at noon in a spirit the reverse of that inwhich he left her. She had been most amiable and vivacious, and fell injoyfully with his plans, when he had expected her to be obstinate andill-tempered, and inclined to thwart him. Then, he had intended to askher for a cheque for five hundred pounds, and improving the opportunity,had obtained fifteen hundred. No wonder that he sang a little song tohimself as he turned into Great Porter Square. Had a beggar solicitedcharity from him he might have obtained a small piece of silver, butit is the misfortune of human affairs that fitting opposites arerarely brought into fortunate conjunction, and the beggar not beingforthcoming, Richard Manx's charitable spell had no opportunity ofairing itself. He was within a few doors of his lodging-house when awoman, who had walked quickly after him, and was out of breath with theexertion, laid her hand on his arm, and wished him good evening.

  [Decoration]