The Black Moth: A Romance of the XVIIIth Century Read online

  CHAPTER IV

  INTRODUCING THE LADY LAVINIA CARSTARES

  Richard went slowly back to his chair. After a moment he sat down,staring blankly out of the window, his hands loosely clasped on the deskbefore him. So he remained for a long while, immobile. At last, with thefaintest of sighs, he moved and picked up a quill. He dipped it in theink, and, with his other hand, drew towards him a sheaf of papers.Presently he was writing steadily.

  For perhaps twenty minutes the quill travelled to and fro across thepages; then it paused, and Richard looked up towards the door.

  It opened to admit Lady Lavinia. She came rustling into the room withher embroidery in her hand. She dropped her husband a mock curtsey andwent over to a high-backed armchair, stretching out a dimpled hand todraw it forward. But even as her fingers touched it she had changed hermind, and fluttered over to the couch, there to seat herself with muchswirling of brocades and arrangement of skirts. She then proceeded tooccupy herself with her work, plying her needle hurriedly and jerkily.

  Richard watched her in silence, following each turn of the pretty handand each movement of her fair head.

  The silence was evidently not to my lady's taste, for she presentlybegan to beat an impatient tattoo on the floor with one slender foot.Still he said nothing, and she raised her pure china-blue eyes to hisface.

  "Why so glum, Dick? Why do you not talk to me?" Her voice was ratherhigh-pitched and childish, and she had a curious way of ending eachsentence with an upward lilt and a long drawn-out accent, veryfascinating to listen to.

  Richard smiled with an obvious effort.

  "Am I, my dear? I crave your pardon. Warburton has just been."

  Her face clouded over instantly, and the full-lipped mouth droopedpetulantly.

  "He has seen him."

  "Oh?" She made the word twice its length, and filled it withdisinterest.

  "Yes. Jack will have none of it. He asks me to be his steward and to useWyncham as I will. He is very generous."

  "Yes, oh yes. And you will, Richard?"

  He ignored the question.

  "He--Warburton--says he is not much changed."

  "Oh?" Again the long-drawn monosyllable, accompanied by a tiny yawn.

  "He says he does not think--Jack--bears me ill-will--" He paused, as ifexpecting her to speak, but she was absorbed in arranging twoflowers--culled from a bowl at her side--at her breast, and took nonotice. Carstares turned his head away wearily.

  "If it were not for you, my dear, I would tell the truth. I believe Ishall go crazed an I do not."

  "Dick!" ... She dropped the flowers on the floor and thought no moreabout them. "Dick!"

  "Oh, you need have no fear! I do not suppose," bitterly, "that I havethe courage to face them all now--after six years."

  Lavinia moved restlessly, brushing her hand along the couch.

  "You will not do it, Richard? Promise! You _will_ not? I could not bearthe disgrace of it; promise me you will never do it?"

  "No," he said slowly, not looking at her. "No, I cannot promise that."

  She sprang to her feet, flinging her broidery from her carelessly, andwaved fierce, agitated little hands.

  "That means you will do it. You _want_ to disgrace me! You do not _care_how you hurt me by holding this threat over my head so cruelly! You--"

  "Lavinia, for heaven's sake!" he implored, pushing back his chair. "Calmyourself!" He knew she was about to fly into one of her sudden passions,and frowned with acute vexation.

  "I will not! Oh yes, yes! You think me a shrew! I know! I know! But youneed not frown on me, sir, for you are worse! No, I will not hush. I ama horrid woman, yes, but you are a cheat--a cheat--a cheat!"

  Carstares strode over to her.

  "Lavinia!"

  "No--no! Leave me alone! You make me miserable! You refuse me everythingthat I want most, and then you threaten to disgrace me--"

  "That is untrue!" cried Richard, goaded into replying. "I will notpromise, that is all. What have I refused you that was within my meansto give you? God knows you try your best to ruin me--"

  "There! There! 'Tis _I_ who am to blame! Pray, did you not induce mylord to leave his money to John when you knew he would have willed itall to you an you had kept silence? You took no thought to me--"

  "For heaven's sake, Lavinia, be still! You do not know what you aresaying!"

  She pressed her hands to her hot cheeks.

  "No--I am unreasonable! I know it, but don't _tell_ me so, for I cannotbear it! And don't look reproach at me, Richard! You drive me mad, Itell you!" She was sweeping up and down the room like some caged animal,lashing herself to a worse fury.

  "Say something, Richard! _Do_ something! Don't stand there so quietly!Oh, you should never have married me! I displease you, and you make meworse; and you do not see how 'tis that I cannot live without pleasure,and money! I am despicable? Yes, yes, but what are you? Oh, why did youtell me you cheated _after_ you had wedded me?" Angry sobs escaped her;her handkerchief was in shreds upon the floor.

  Carstares turned his back to her, that she might not see how she hadcontrived to hurt him, and the movement drove her to fresh fury.

  "Don't do that! Don't! Don't! You make me worse by your dreadfulsilence! Oh, if you really loved me!"

  "You cannot doubt that!" he cried out, wheeling suddenly round. "Youknow how I love you! Don't you?" He gripped her by the shoulders andswung her to face him.

  She trembled and gave a sobbing little laugh. As suddenly as it hadcome, her anger left her.

  "Oh, yes, yes! You do love me, Dicky?" She twined her arms about hisneck and shrank closer.

  "God help me, yes!" he groaned, thrusting her away. "And you--you carefor no one save yourself!"

  "No! No!" she cried, pressing up to him again. "Do not say that, Dick.Indeed, I love you, but I cannot live without gaiety--you know Icannot. Oh, I do not doubt but what I am very selfish, but 'tis the wayI am fashioned, and I cannot change my nature. And now I have hurt you,and I did not mean to! I did not mean to!"

  "My dear, I know you did not; but try to be less a child, I beg of you!You are so uncontrolled, so--"

  "I knew you would say that," she answered in a dead voice. "You do notunderstand me. You expect me to be good, and patient, and forbearing,and I tell you 'tis not in my nature."

  "But, Lavinia, you can control your passions," he said gently.

  "No! I cannot! We Belmanoirs--as God made us, so we are--and He made usspendthrift, and pleasure-loving, and mad!" She walked slowly to thedoor. "But you do not understand, and you try to make me staid, andthoughtful, and a good mother, when I am dying for _life_, andexcitement, and care not that for housewifery!" She opened the doorslowly. "And now my head aches, and you look grave and say 'tis mywicked temper, when I want you to be sorry, and to be ready to doanything to comfort me. Why can you not take me to London, when you knowhow I long to be there, instead of in this gloomy house with nought todo, save mind my child and my needle? I am so tired of it all! So verytired of it all!"

  She would have left the room then, but he detained her.

  "Wait, Lavinia! You say you are unhappy?"

  She released the door handle and fluttered her hands expressively.

  "Unhappy? No, I am dull. I am ill-tempered. I am discontented. I amaught you please, so do not be sad, Richard. I cannot bear you to besolemn. Oh, why do we quarrel?" With one of her impulsive movements shewas again at his side, with her beautiful face upturned. "Love me,Richard! Take me to London and never mind an I _do_ squander your money.Say you do not care! Say that nothing matters so long as I am happy! Whydo you not say it? Does anything matter? Don't be prudent, Dicky! Bewild! Be reckless! Be anything rather than grave and old!" Her armscrept up to his coaxingly. "Take me to London!"

  Carstares smoothed the soft hair back from her forehead, very tenderly,but his eyes were worried.

  "My dear, I will take you, but not just yet. There is so much to be donehere. If you will wait a little longer--"

  "Ah,
if I will wait! If I will be patient and good! But I cannot! Oh,you don't understand, Dicky--you don't understand!"

  "I am sorry, dear. I promise I will take you as soon as possible, and wewill stay as long as you please."

  Her arms fell away.

  "I want to go now!"

  "Dear--"

  "Very well--very well. We will go presently. Only don't reason with me."

  He looked at her concernedly.

  "You are overwrought, my love--and tired."

  "Yes," she agreed listlessly. "Oh yes; I will go now and rest. Forgiveme, Dick!" She kissed her finger-tips and extended them to him. "I willbe good one day." She turned and hurried out of the room and up thestairs, leaving the door open behind her.

  Richard stayed for a moment looking round at the signs of her latepresence. Mechanically he stooped to pick up her embroidery and thepieces of her handkerchief. The two flowers were broken off short, andhe threw them away. Then he left the room and went out on to the sunnyterrace, gazing across the beautiful gardens into the blue distance.

  Across the lawn came a child of four or five, waving a grimy hand.

  "Father!"

  Richard looked down at him and smiled.

  "Well, John?"

  The boy climbed up the terrace steps, calling his news all the way.

  "'Tis Uncle Andrew, sir. He has rid over to see you, and is comingthrough the garden to find you."

  "Is he? Has he left his horse at the stables?"

  "Ay, sir. So I came to tell you."

  "Quite right. Will you come with me to meet him?"

  The little rosy face lighted up with pleasure.

  "Oh, may I?" he cried and slipped his hand in Richard's.

  Together they descended the steps and made their way across the lawn.

  "I have run away from Betty," announced John with some pride. "There'sUncle Andrew, sir!" He bounded away towards the approaching figure.

  Lord Andrew Belmanoir was Richard's brother-in-law, brother to thepresent Duke. He came up with John in his arms and tumbled him to theground.

  "Good day, Dick! 'Tis a spoilt child you have here!"

  "Ay. He is but now escaped from his nurse."

  "Splendid! Come, John, you shall walk with us, and we'll confound fatBetty!" He slipped his arm through Richard's as he spoke. "Come, Dick!There's a deal I have to say to you." He grimaced ruefully.

  The child ran on ahead towards the woods, a great bull-mastiff at hisheels.

  "What's to do now?" asked Richard, looking round into the mobile,dissipated countenance.

  "The devil's in it this time, and no mistake," answered his lordshipwith a rueful shake of his head.

  "Debts?"

  "Lord, yes! I was at Delaby's last night, and the stakes were high.Altogether I've lost about three thousand--counting what I owe Carew.And devil take me an I know where 'tis to come from! Here's Tracy turnedsaint and swears he'll see me damned before he hands me another penny. Idoubt he means it, too."

  Tracy was the Duke. Richard smiled a little cynically; he had alreadyhad to lend his Grace a thousand guineas to pay off some "triflingdebt."

  "He means it right enough. I believe it would puzzle him to find it."

  "Do you say so? Why, 'tis impossible man! Tracy was in town scarce afortnight since, and he had a run of the devil's own luck. I tell youDick, I saw him walk off with a cool five thousand one night! And thenhe denies me a paltry three! Lord, what a brother! And all with the airof an angel, as if _he_ had never lost at dice. And a homily thrown in!Anyone would think I had cheated, instead of--ahem!... Dick, I'mconfoundedly sorry! Damned thoughtless of me--never thought aboutJo--about what I was saying--I'm a fool!" For Richard had winced.

  "You cannot help that," he said, forcing a laugh. "Have done with yourapologies, and continue."

  They had come to the stream by now, and crossed the little bridge intothe wood.

  "Oh, there's not much more. 'Tis only that something must be done, forCarew won't wait, and stap me if I'd ask him, the lean-facedscarecrow!--so I came to you, Dick."

  He let go Richard's arm and flung himself down on a fallen tree-trunk,regardless of velvet and laces.

  "You're a good fellow, and you don't lecture a man as Tracy does, deviltake him! And you play high yourself, or you did, though 'tis an agesince I saw you win or lose enough to wink at. And, after all, you'reLavvy's husband, and--oh, damn it all, Dick, 'tis monstrous hard to askyou!"

  Carstares, leaning against a tree, surveyed the youthful rake amusedly.

  "'Tush, Andrew!" he reassured him. "You're welcome to ask, but the Lordknows where I'm to find it! Gad, what a life! Here's Lavinia keepsbuying silks, and I don't know what all, and--"

  "She was ever a spendthrift jade," said Andrew with a mighty frown.

  Richard laughed at him.

  "You're a thrifty fellow yourself, of course!"

  Andrew looked round for something to throw at him, and finding nothing,relapsed once more into deepest despondency.

  "You're in the right of't. We're a worthless lot. 'Tis the old man'sblood in us, I doubt not, with a smattering of her Grace. You never knewmy mother, Richard. She was French--Lavvy's the spit of her. There'sTracy--stap me, but Tracy's the very devil! Have you ever seen a facelike his? No, I'll swear you've not! What with his sneering mouth andhis green eyes--oh, 'tis enough to make a fellow go to the dogs to havea brother like it, 'pon my soul it is! Ay, you laugh, but I tell you'tis serious!"

  "Ay, go on!"

  "Well next there's Bob--damn it all, but I'm sorry for Bob! 'Tis abeggarly pittance they give one in the army, and he was never one topinch and scrape. Well, as I say, there's Bob, and I never see him, butwhat it's: 'Lend me a hundred, Andy!' or the like. And all to buy hismistress some gewgaw. That's what sickens me! Why, Bob's for ever insome scrape with a petticoat, and as for Tracy! Gad, how they can! Thenthere's Lavinia, but I should think you know her by now, and lastly,there's your humble servant. And I tell you, Dick, what with the racing,and the cards, and the bottle, I shall be a ruined man before you canturn round! And the pother is I'll never be any different. 'Tis in theblood, so where's the use in trying?" He made a rueful grimace, androse. "Come on, young rip! We're going back."

  John, engaged in the task of hunting for tadpoles in the water someyards distant, nodded and ran on.

  "I fear my lady is indisposed," said Richard hesitatingly. "You wishedto see her?"

  Andrew winked knowingly.

  "Tantrums, eh? Oh, I know her. No, I do not care an I do not see her;'tis little enough she cares for me, though she's as thick as thieveswith Tracy--oh, ay, I'll be dumb."

  They walked slowly back to the house, Andrew, silent for once, twirlinghis gold-mounted cane.

  "You shall have the money, of course. When do you want it?" said Richardpresently.

  "'Pon honour, you're a devilish good fellow, Dick! But if 'tis like toput you to any--"

  "Nonsense. When do you need it?"

  "I should pay Carew as soon as may be. Markham can wait over if--"

  "No, no! Wednesday?"

  "'Twill do excellently well. Dick, you're a--"

  "Oh, pshaw! 'Tis nought. I want your opinion on the bay mare I boughtlast week. You'll maybe think her a trifle long in the leg, but she's afine animal."

  John had run indoors, and the two men proceeded to the stables alone,Andrew discoursing all the way, recounting for his brother-in-law'sbenefit the choicest morsels of scandal that were circulating town atthe moment. That his auditor but attended with half an ear affected himnot at all; he never paused for an answer, and, in any case, was far toogood-natured to care if he received none.

  By the time they had duly inspected the mare and walked back to thehouse, it was nearly four o'clock, and, not altogether to Carstares'surprise, Lavinia was awaiting them on the terrace, clad in a totallydifferent gown, and with her hair freshly arranged and curled.

  "'Twould appear that Lavinia has recovered," remarked Andrew as theymounted the steps. "She
was ever thus--not two minutes the same. Well,Lavvy?"

  "Well, Andrew?" She gave him a careless hand to kiss, but smiled sweetlyup at her husband. "My headache is so much better," she told him, "andthey said that Andrew was come to see you. So I came downstairs." Sheturned eagerly to her brother. "Tell me, Andrew, is Tracy at home?"

  "Lord, yes! He arrived yesterday, devil take him! Do you want him?"

  "Oh, yes," she nodded. "I want to see him again. I've not set eyes onhim for an age. I want you to take me back with you."

  "Surely, my dear, 'tis a trifle late in the day for such a drive?"demurred Richard, trying to conceal his annoyance. "Can you not waituntil to-morrow?"

  "Faith, you'll have to, Lavvy, for I'll not take you to-day, that'scertain. I'm riding to Fletcher's when I leave here. Tracy can visit youto-morrow an he chooses."

  "Will he?" she asked doubtfully.

  Andrew clapped his hand to his vest pocket. "If I had not forgot!" heexclaimed. "I've a letter from him for you. He intends waiting on youto-morrow, in any case. Lord, what it is to have a scatter brain likemine!" He pulled a handful of papers from his pocket and selected one,sealed, and addressed in a sloping Italian handwriting.

  Lavinia pounced upon it joyfully, and tore it open. Andrew restored therest of the documents to his pocket with yet another rueful laugh.

  "Duns, Richard! Duns!"

  "Give them to me," answered the other, holding out his hand.

  "Oh, no! But many thanks, Dick. These are quite unimportant."

  "Why not pay them all, and start afresh?" urged Carstares.

  "Lord, no! Why, I should be so damned elated that before the day was outthere'd be a score of fresh debts staring me in the face!"

  "Let me lend you a thousand to begin on? Could you not keep out ofdebt?"

  "I keep out of debt? Impossible! Don't look so solemn, Dick; I told you'twas in the blood. We never have a penny to bless ourselves with, butwhat's the odds? I shall have a run of luck soon--a man can't alwayslose. Then I shall be able to repay you, but, of course, I shan't.It'll all go at the next table. _I_ know!" He spoke so ingenuously thatRichard could not be angry with him. There was a certain frankness abouthim that pleased, and though he might be spendthrift and heedless, andcolossally selfish, Richard felt a genuine affection for him. He wouldhave liked to argue the point further, but Lavinia came forward,refolding her letter.

  "Tracy is coming to-morrow afternoon," she told her husband. "'Twill beprodigiously agreeable, will it not?"

  He assented, but with a lack of warmth that did not fail to strike herears.

  "And he will stay to dine with us!" she cried challengingly.

  "Certainly, my love."

  "Look pleased, Dicky, look pleased! Why don't you like Tracy? He is myown brother; you _must_ like him!"

  "Of course I like him, Lavinia. Pray, do not be foolish."

  "Oh, I am not! Don't be cross, Dicky dear!"

  "Well, if you like him, I'm surprised," broke in Andrew. "I can't bearhim! Ay, flash your eyes at me, Lavvy; I don't mind."

  Lavinia opened her mouth to retaliate, but Richard hastily interposed.Their bickering was more than he could bear, and he never understood howLavinia could stoop to quarrel with the boisterous youth, who tried sopalpably to rouse her.

  He bore them both off to the house, feeling much like a nursemaid withtwo recalcitrant children.