Presently there came a knock at the door, and Tony’s voice was heard asking if he might come in. Mrs. Lorrimer looked inquiringly at Valerie, who nodded shyly, and she bade him enter.
Half diffidently he opened the door and approached the bed. While he was asking how she was — and she was thanking him prettily for his hospitality — she was thinking: “So this is John’s friend… now nice!”
“I’ve just been with John,” he went on. “He’s awake and feeling very fit. I expect the doctor will let you both get up tomorrow.”
When he had gone Mrs. Lorrimer told her how he had battled with death over her unconscious body, and she was filled with a great tenderness towards the young man.
Dr. Gaunt was the next visitor, and expressed himself much pleased with their condition.
Downstairs he confirmed Tony’s guess that they might get up the following morning. Tony was highly delighted and remarked that he didn’t mind how long they had to stay. To Gaunt’s suggestion that they should carry on with the interrupted ceremony of last night he made an impatient reply.
“No, Doctor, that can wait until they’ve gone. There’s plenty of time before the twenty-fifth. She’s very lovely, isn’t she?”
The other nodded and turned his head away, so that Tony should not see the frown of annoyance he could not suppress. This delay was not at all to his liking.
He said as much to Vaughan when next they were alone, but that gentleman was inclined to agree with Tony that they had better wait.
Next morning the whole party met at the breakfast-table. Mrs. Lorrimer had dried and pressed Valerie’s clothes, and she looked very charming. Tony, in particular, could not keep his eyes off her. Hamilton, in a suit of Tony’s, which did not fit him very well, was quite left out of the conversation which they kept up and was forced to fall back on Dr. Gaunt. Vaughan, after the first introductions, said little, but he too kept turning his sleepy eyes in Valerie’s direction.
After the meal Tony bore Valerie off to show her the Abbey, and Hamilton went with the others to the great hall, where they sat round the cavernous hearth smoking and talking. He found them delightful company, and time passed quickly. Outside the wind still roared with scarcely abated vigour, and with the dull pounding of the waves made a continual background to their conversation.
When the two young people joined them the girl’s face was flushed, and her eyes were shining with excitement.
“Oh, John,” she exclaimed, “isn’t this a marvelous place? You are lucky, Tony, to be able to stay here whenever you want to.”
Hamilton noticed the “Tony” with a little pang of jealousy, but immediately reproached himself for the thought. He told himself he should be glad that she was getting on so well with his friend.
“It’s all so ancient and splendid, somehow,” she went on. “But tell me, surely there’s some legend about a ghost or something, isn’t there?”
Tony flashed a quick look at Gaunt, who nodded slightly.
“Well, we’ve no real ghosts, as far as I know,” he answered. “But I suppose you are thinking of the family curse. It is said to have taken the form of a monster which inhabits the caves under the Abbey.”
Valerie clapped her hands delightedly.
“Oh, how perfectly splendid!” she cried. “It only wanted that to make it quite perfect. Have you ever seen it, Tony?”
“No,” he answered slowly, “I can’t say I have. But you must ask Vaughan about that. He knows all about these things, and he’s actually come down here to investigate it.”
“Really, Mr. Vaughan?” She turned to him, her big grey eyes suddenly serious. “Are you one of those psychic research people?”
Vaughan gave a fat chuckle, and removed his cheroot.
“Only an amateur, Miss Bennett,” said he. “I’ve studied these matters quite a lot, though, and I may say that I hope to expel the curse in time.”
“Oh, but you mustn’t! Or at least, if you do, don’t tell anyone it’s gone. All old houses must have their family ghost, you know.”
“I think you could do without yours, eh, Tony?” Vaughan’s thick voice was quizzical.
“Yes, I think I could,” Tony replied quietly.
“Have you seen it, then, Mr. Vaughan?” Valerie demanded.
“Once, Miss Bennett. But I’d rather not talk about it, if you don’t mind. It’s not a very pleasant subject.”
“But how are you going to get rid of it?” she insisted. “I mean it’s not like rats, or dry-rot, or anything, is it?”
“I am making my preparations. I shall be delighted to show them to you some time.”
“Where are they?”
“Down in the crypt below here.”
“I should be frightfully scared.” She shivered. “But it’s most awfully thrilling, isn’t it, John? Let’s all go down, this afternoon.”
“Very well, Miss Bennett, if you wish it,” said Vaughan, and adroitly changed the subject.
But Valerie did not forget the promise, and after lunch they all descended to the crypt.
Hamilton was surprised to find how familiar it all seemed, since he could not remember ever having been down there before.
Valerie was vastly intrigued by the elaborate diagram, upon which they walked quite freely, and by the seals on the altar. Vaughan explained them to her in a vague manner, using terms with which she was unfamiliar, and finally she gave up the effort of following him and confessed that it was too deep for her. She asked if they could go on into the caverns beneath, but Vaughan promptly quashed the suggestion with a vivid account of the dangers of falling rocks and hidden pitfalls.
In the evening they played bridge, while Vaughan sat reading, and all retired early to bed, the two castaways keeping their original rooms to avoid troubling Mrs. Lorrimer unduly.
As Hamilton was climbing into bed there came a knock at his door, and Lorrimer entered.
“Pardon the intrusion, sir,” he said, “but I’ve been trying to speak to you all day, and this is the first chance I’ve had to see you alone.”
Hamilton stared at him. What on earth did the fellow want?
“I’m very glad you’re here, sir,” the other continued; “Sir Anthony is quite a different man since you came. You got my note all right, sir?”
“What note? What are you talking about, man?”
Lorrimer was amazed.
“The note about Sir Anthony, sir, and his friends that you asked me to write when you came over to find out what was going on. You agreed with me at the time, sir, that he was not keeping good company.”
“I’m not in the habit of discussing my friend’s affairs with their servants, Lorrimer,” said Hamilton indignantly. “That will be all, thank you.”
The old man stared at him, hurt astonishment written large upon his face. He bowed, saying:
“I’m very sorry, sir, if I’ve spoken out of place. Good night, sir.”
After he had gone Hamilton lit his pipe and smoked awhile, deep in thought. What had the man been driving at? Did he mean Gaunt and Vaughan? Surely not; they were charming fellows, both. He remembered his first visit to the island, and why he had left, well enough; but the second visit, and all that he had learnt from the rector, were completely forgotten. He supposed that Tony was still going on with his new studies, and hoped that he was progressing favourably. Certainly he looked very well, and his face had acquired far more character than it had had in the old days. Still puzzling over Lorrimer’s ambiguity, he fell asleep.
In a room not very far away Lorrimer was talking to his wife.
“Stared at me quite blank, he did, as if I was a piece of dirt, and then ordered me out.”
“Don’t take it to heart, James,” she consoled him. “He may be acting a part. Or else…”