Chapter 4 - Page 2

of course, there was nothing to be done, and she was to be buried on
the 22nd at Beauchamp Chalcote. A few days before she died she had
made her will, and left Lord Arthur her little house in Curzon
Street, and all her furniture, personal effects, and pictures, with
the exception of her collection of miniatures, which was to go to
her sister, Lady Margaret Rufford, and her amethyst necklace, which
Sybil Merton was to have. The property was not of much value; but
Mr. Mansfield, the solicitor, was extremely anxious for Lord Arthur
to return at once, if possible, as there were a great many bills to
be paid, and Lady Clementina had never kept any regular accounts.

Lord Arthur was very much touched by Lady Clementina's kind
remembrance of him, and felt that Mr. Podgers had a great deal to
answer for. His love of Sybil, however, dominated every other
emotion, and the consciousness that he had done his duty gave him
peace and comfort. When he arrived at Charing Cross, he felt
perfectly happy.

The Mertons received him very kindly. Sybil made him promise that
he would never again allow anything to come between them, and the
marriage was fixed for the 7th June. Life seemed to him once more
bright and beautiful, and all his old gladness came back to him
again.

One day, however, as he was going over the house in Curzon Street,
in company with Lady Clementina's solicitor and Sybil herself,
burning packages of faded letters, and turning out drawers of odd
rubbish, the young girl suddenly gave a little cry of delight.

'What have you found, Sybil?' said Lord Arthur, looking up from his
work, and smiling.

'This lovely little silver bonbonniere, Arthur. Isn't it quaint and
Dutch? Do give it to me! I know amethysts won't become me till I
am over eighty.'

It was the box that had held the aconitine.

Lord Arthur started, and a faint blush came into his cheek. He had
almost entirely forgotten what he had done, and it seemed to him a
curious coincidence that Sybil, for whose sake he had gone through
all that terrible anxiety, should have been the first to remind him
of it.

'Of course you can have it, Sybil. I gave it to poor Lady Clem
myself.'

'Oh! thank you, Arthur; and may I have the bonbon too? I had no
notion that Lady Clementina liked sweets. I thought she was far too
intellectual.'

Lord Arthur grew deadly pale, and a horrible idea crossed his mind.

'Bonbon, Sybil? What do you mean?' he said in a slow, hoarse voice.

'There is one in it, that is all. It looks quite old and dusty, and
I have not the slightest intention of eating it. What is the
matter, Arthur? How white you look!'

Lord Arthur rushed across the room, and seized the