`Check,'--cried he: I sought in agony some means of escape--`mate!' he added, quietly but with evident delight. He had suspended the utterance of that last fatal syllable the better to enjoy my dismay. I was foolishly disconcerted by the event. Hattersley laughed; Milicent was troubled to see me so disturbed. Hargrave placed his hand on mine that rested on the table, and squeezing it with a firm but gentle pressure, murmured `Beaten--beaten!' and gazed into my face with a look where exultation was blended with an expression of ardour and tenderness yet more insulting.
` No, never, Mr. Hargrave!' exclaimed I, quickly withdrawing my hand.
`Do you deny?' replied he, smilingly pointing to the board.
`No, no,' I answered, recollecting how strange my conduct must appear; `you have beaten me in that game.
`Will you try another, then?'
`No.'
`You acknowledge my superiority?'
`Yes--as a chess-player.'
I rose to resume my work.
`Where is Annabella?' said Hargrave, gravely, after glancing round the room.
`Gone out with Lord Lowborough,' answered I, for he looked at me for a reply.
`And not yet returned!' he said seriously.
`I suppose not.'
`Where is Huntingdon?' looking round again.
`Gone out with Grimsby--as you know,' said Hattersley suppressing a laugh, which broke forth as he concluded the sentence.
Why did he laugh? Why did Hargrave connect them thus together?
Was it true, then?--And was this the dreadful secret he had wished to reveal to me? I must know--and that quickly. I instantly rose and left the room to go in search of Rachel, and demand an explanation of her words; but Mr. Hargrave followed me into the ante-room, and before I could open its outer door, gently laid his hand upon the lock.
`May I tell you something, Mrs. Huntingdon?' said he, in a subdued tone, with serious, downcast eyes.
`If it be anything worth hearing,' replied I, struggling to be composed, for I trembled in every limb.
He quietly pushed a chair towards me. I merely leant my hand upon it, and bid him go on.
`Do not be alarmed,' said he: `what I wish to say is nothing in itself, and I will leave you to draw your own inferences from it. You say that Annabella is not yet returned?'
`Yes, yes--go on!' said I, impatiently, for I feared my forced calmness would leave me before the end of his disclosure, whatever it might be.
`And you hear,' continued he, `that Huntingdon is gone out with Grimsby?'
`Well?'
`I heard the latter say to your husband--or the man who calls himself so--'
`Go on, sir!'
He bowed submissively, and continued, `I heard him say,-- "I shall manage it, you'll see! They're gone down by the water; I shall meet them there, and tell him I want a bit of talk with him about some things that we needn't trouble the lady with; and she'll say she can be walking back to the house; and then I shall apologize, you know, and all that, and tip her a wink to take the way of the shrubbery. I'll keep him talking there, about those matters I mentioned, and anything else I can think of, as long as I can, and then bring him round the other way, stopping to look at the trees, the fields, and anything else I can find to discourse of."' Mr. Hargrave paused, and looked at me.
Without a word of comment or further questioning, I rose, and darted from the room and out of the house. The torment of suspense was not to be endured: I would not suspect my husband falsely, on this man's accusation, and I would not trust him unworthily--I must know the truth at once. I flew to the shrubbery. Scarcely had I reached it, when a sound of voices arrested my breathless speed.
`We have lingered too long; he will be back,' said Lady Lowborough's voice.
`Surely not, dearest!' was his reply, `but you can run across the lawn, and get in as quietly as you can: I'll follow in a while.'
My knees trembled under me; my brain swam round: I was ready to faint. She must not see me thus. I shrunk among the bushes, and leant against the trunk of a tree to let her pass.
`Ah, Huntingdon!' said she reproachfully, pausing where I had stood with him the night before-- `it was here you kissed that woman!'
She looked back into the leafy shade. Advancing thence, he answered, with a careless laugh--`Well, dearest, I couldn't help it. You know I must keep straight with her as long as I can. Haven't I seen you kiss your dolt of a husband, scores of times?--and do I ever complain?'
`But tell me, don't you love her stills little ?' said she placing her hand on his arm and looking earnestly in his face--for I could see them plainly, the moon shining full upon them from between the branches of the tree that sheltered me.
`Not one bit, by all that's sacred!' he replied, kissing her glowing cheek.
`Good Heavens, I must be gone!' cried she, suddenly breaking from him, and away she flew.
There he stood before me; but I had not strength to confront him now; my tongue cleaved to the roof of my mouth,* I was well nigh sinking to the earth, and I almost wondered he did not hear the beating of my heart above the low sighing of the wind, and the fitful rustle of the falling leaves. My senses seemed to fail me, but still I saw his shadowy form pass before me, and through the rushing sound in my ears, I distinctly heard him say, as he stood looking up the lawn--`There goes the fool! Run Annabella, run! There--in with you!
Ah, he didn't see! That's right Grimsby, keep him back!' And even his low laugh reached me as he walked away.
`God help me now!' I murmured, sinking on my knees among the damp weeds and brushwood that surrounded me, and looking up at the moonlit sky, through the scant foliage above. It seemed all dim and quivering now to my darkened sight. My burning, bursting heart strove to pour forth its agony to God, but could not frame its anguish into prayer; until a gust of wind swept over me, which, while it scattered the dead leaves, like blighted hopes, around, cooled my forehead, and seemed a little to revive my sinking frame. Then, while I lifted up my soul in speechless, earnest supplication, some heavenly influence seemed to strengthen me within:*