She dropped into her chair, while Ainsleigh and the disinherited Olivia left Ivy Lodge to the woman, who had schemed for it in so base a way.

CHAPTER XIV

A MYSTERIOUS LETTER

If Miss Wharfs tragic death made a great sensation in Marport, the announcement that Miss Rayner was married secretly to Ainsleigh of Royabay made a still greater one. Some people thought Olivia had behaved badly to her aunt, and these were confirmed in their belief, by the story told by Miss Pewsey. But others considered the marriage to be quite romantic, and, knowing how Miss Wharf had tried to make her niece marry Clarence, were pleased that the girl had thus circ.u.mvented the schemes of the buccaneer. But, whether the critics were hostile or favourable, they were all equally anxious to call at Royabay and see its new mistress.

Mrs. Ainsleigh received them quietly, and with a dignity which compelled all to refrain from making remarks, unpleasant or otherwise. She settled down rapidly to her new position, and after a time, everyone was quite on her side. Certainly, a few ill-disposed people agreed with Miss Pewsey, who could not say anything sufficiently bad about Mrs.

Ainsleigh: but on the whole, people were anxious to welcome the new mistress of the great place of Marport. Rupert and Olivia appeared to be very happy, and after all--as someone said, "the marriage was their own business."

A month after the installation of Olivia at Royabay, her husband received a visitor in the person of Dr. Forge. That melancholy man made his appearance one afternoon, when the young couple were in the garden, and therefore, they could not refuse to see him. Olivia, had she been able, would certainly have declined the visit, as she was aware that Forge intended to marry Miss Pewsey next month. As it was, she had to be polite and she was coldly so. Rupert also, was not very genial. From what John Petley had said, and from what Tung-yu had hinted, he began to think that Forge was not the friend he pretended to be, and consequently the young man was on his guard. Dr. Forge saw this, and seized the opportunity when Olivia went within,--which she did as soon as politeness permitted,--to speak to his quondam ward.

"We don't appear to be friends," said the doctor.

"I don't see how you can expect it," replied Rupert coldly, "you marry Miss Pewsey next month, and she has been, and is, Olivia's bitter enemy."

"I am aware that my future wife is prejudiced," said he deliberately, "but I a.s.sure you Rupert, she did not scheme for that money."

Ainsleigh scoffed. "Why she spied on Olivia and told Miss Wharf, what we would rather had been kept silent."

"I don't think you acted quite fairly towards Miss Wharf."

"That is my business. I don't intend to defend myself," was the young man's reply, "did you come to discuss this matter?"

"No. I came to ask how this matter would effect your future."

"In what way?"

"In the way you stand with your creditors."

Rupert did not reply immediately. The two were walking on the lawn, but Rupert entered the door of the Abbey and strolled round the ruins with Forge by his side. He mistrusted the man intensely. "I should like to know if you are my friend?" he asked, giving utterance to this mistrust.

"Surely I am," was the quiet reply, "why should you think me to be otherwise. Because I marry Miss Pewsey?"

"No. You can marry whom you choose. I have nothing to do with that, Dr.

Forge. But when you were my guardian, why did you not tell me that the property was so enc.u.mbered?"

"I wanted your boyhood to be unclouded. And also," he added, seeing Rupert make a gesture of contempt, "I thought you might get money from China."

Rupert started. "What do you mean by that?"

"Well," said Forge deliberately and looking on the ground, "you know that your father and I invested in a gold mine on the Hwei River? Well we worked it for a long time until your father died of dysentery--"

"Are you sure he died of dysentery?" asked Ainsleigh sharply.

"So far as I know he did," was Forge's patient reply, "as I told you before, I was in Pekin when he died. But if you are in doubt you should go to China and ask Lo-Keong."

"What has he to do with it?"

"This much," said Forge quietly, "and I am telling you, what I have kept hitherto from every living creature. Your father and I made money out of the mine--a great sum. I made the most--about ten thousand pounds, but your father made at least eight thousand."

"And where is that money?" asked Rupert anxiously.

"Lo-Keong has it. Yes! I went to Pekin to get a concession with regard to buying or leasing more land. I left your father with Lo-Keong. He was at that time a kind of foreman. But also, he was in the confidence of the rebellious Boxer leaders. These threatened to undermine the power of the Dowager Empress, who was not then, so strong as she is now. As a matter of fact, Lo-Keong himself was a leader of the Boxers. He came to us in disguise, and worked up until he became our foreman; but he did this, because he heard that the mine was paying, and wanted money--"

"Your money?" asked Ainsleigh deeply interested.

"Yes, and the money belonging to your father--in all, eighteen thousand pounds. When I was at Pekin, your father, who did not understand the Chinese so well as I did, managed to make trouble--"

"In what way?"

"He interfered with the religion of the coolies in some way--a most disastrous thing to do. Lo-Keong took advantage of the riot and robbed your father of the eighteen thousand pounds."

"And killed my father."

"Ah," said Forge quietly, "I really can't say that. It was reported to me at Pekin that Markham had died of dysentery. He was buried near the mine. I was advised not to go back, as the Chinese were enraged against the foreign devils. Lo-Keong took the money and returned to his Boxers, where, with the money, he attained to even greater power, than he formerly had possessed. Afterwards he deserted his party and came on the side of the Empress Dowager. She is a clever woman and was glad to get him, so he speedily rose high at court. Now, he is very powerful."

"And still holds my father's money."

"Precisely, and mine also. I have been to China, again and again, to try and make Lo-Keong give up this money, and then, I intended to pay you eight thousand pounds. But hitherto I have failed. I am about to make a last attempt, as I sail for Canton after Christmas. I had intended to go earlier, but I must marry Miss Pewsey and leave her in charge of my house, as Mrs. Forge, before I go. So now you know Rupert why I went so frequently to China."

"And what has the fan to do with all this?"

"Nothing so far as I know. It is Lo-Keong's property and was a bequest which he values. I understand that there is some secret belonging to it, connected with political affairs, and which make his enemies anxious to get hold of it."

"Didn't you know the secret, when you possessed the fan?"

"No," said Forge viciously, "I wish I had known it. If it could have damaged Lo-Keong I certainly should have made every use of it. He keeps me out of ten thousand pounds, and it's through his influence with the Empress Dowager that I am prevented from working the mine further. It is a rich mine, and if I worked it, I could make a fortune. But Lo-Keong stopped that. I was a fool, not to use the fan and make Lo-Keong give me the mine for it."

"But you _did_ give him the fan."

Forge looked confused for a moment. "Yes, I did," said he after a pause, "that is, it was taken from me. I got it from Tidman in the way you know, and always expected trouble. But I expect Hwei and Tung-yu did not find out at the time, that it had come to this country, so I was left alone. Had they discovered, that I was the possessor I should have been killed--"

"Or you might have got a large sum of money."

"Quite so. It would have all depended if I gave the fan to Hwei or to Tung-yu. I should have preferred the latter, but of course I never knew the different days appointed by the G.o.d."

"Then that business is really true."

"I believe it is. But I never knew much about it, till Tung-yu told me.

Then it was too late, Miss Wharf had the fan, and it was Hwei's day. He took advantage of the chance."

"Do you think he was here?"

"Yes. Certainly. He killed Miss Wharf."