Cousin Kate (38 page)

Deathly pale, Kate flinched, and threw up a hand, as though to ward off a blow. She said numbly: 'I thought - oh, I was
certain!
-that you didn't know!'

'
I
?' said Lady Broome incredulously. 'Good God, Kate, why do you suppose that I brought Delabole to live here? Why have I kept Torquil in the old nursery wing? Why have I never allowed him to go beyond the gates without his groom, or to consort with any of the boys and girls of his own age? Why do you imagine that Badger was at hand when he tried to shoot you?'

Kate shook her bowed head, and uttered, almost inaudibly: 'He didn't try to shoot me. It was the dog. Torquil gave the gun to me as soon as I told him to.'

This seemed to give Lady Broome pause. The angry light died out of her eyes; she said, after a moment's cold consideration: 'If you say so, I believe it. It proves how right I was when I judged you to be a suitable wife for him. I have observed you closely, and I've seen how good your influence has been. He likes you, and you've made him respect you: it may be that marriage might arrest the progress of his insanity; it may even be that you are the cause - oh, quite unwittingly! - of its increase during the past weeks. Delabole is of the opinion that his - how shall I put it? - his
manhood
, first roused by the Templecombe child's empty prettiness, grew stronger when I brought you to live at Staplewood, and has excited his brain. You've held him at a distance, and he has found relief in - committing certain acts of violence.'

Kate looked up quickly, an appalled question in her eyes. Lady Broome smiled with a sort of indulgent contempt. 'Oh, yes!' she said, faintly amused. 'I know about the rabbit you found. I know everything that Torquil does. I have known for years-ever since I realized there was more to his fits of ungovernable rage than mere childish naughtiness. What I suffered - the despair -the chagrin - when the knowledge was forced upon me that the taint had reappeared in my son -my only son! - I can't describe to you! He inherited his sickly constitution from Sir Timothy, but his madness came to him through me! Oh, don't look so alarmed! it didn't come through the Malverns, but through my mother! One of her great-uncles had to be confined: it was kept so secret that very few people knew about it, and it didn't appear either in my grandfather's or my father's generations. Or in mine! I had never dreamed that it would visit my son! It was only when Torquil's nurse spoke to me - told me that she was puzzled by him - that I began to suspect the truth. I dismissed her at the earliest opportunity that offered, as you may suppose! I said that he was too old for a nurse, and appointed Badger to attend to him. He had previously been employed to wait on my predecessor's nursery, and had been dreading dismissal from the moment Sir Timothy married me. Fortunately, as it chanced, Sir Timothy's rather exaggerated notions of his obligations to his dependants made him insist on Badger's continuing at Staplewood; and, still more fortunately, Badger became deeply attached to Torquil. I daresay he was sincere, since Torquil, when he grew out of infancy, was an amazingly pretty little boy, you know! Of course, I've been obliged to pay both him and Whalley to keep their lips buttoned, but I never grudge the price of faithful service. Delabole, too! I knew
he
could be bought! I sent for him when Torquil had the smallpox. Dr Ogbourne had previously attended the family, but I knew that he was beginning to be suspicious, and I seized that chance to be rid of him. I hoped, at that time, that I might be mistaken, and that Torquil's disturbing fits of violence did indeed arise from ill-health, but as time went on I knew that his brain was sick, as well as his body. That was the most crushing blow of all I had suffered. I felt at first that my one remaining ambition had been shattered. But I don't readily despair, and I thought that if he survived, if I could keep him quietly at Staplewood, guard against any excitement, never let him go beyond the gates alone, and, above all, establish my mastery of him, his malady might be cured, or, at the worst, remain in abeyance. I saw that it would be necessary to maintain a constant watch over him, for although there were periods - sometimes lasting for weeks-, when he was perfectly docile, one never knew when something would upset him, and bring on one of his attacks of mania. I soon learned, however, that these almost always occurred at the time of the full moon: they still do, but there have lately been signs that this can no longer be depended on. And it is becoming increasingly difficult to control him. I can do so, and perhaps you can; but the day is coming when it will be necessary to confine him more closely. It will be too late then to give him a wife, and all my care, all the sacrifices I have made, all the stratagems I've been forced to employ to hide his lunacy from everyone but those few I can trust, will have been wasted! That, Kate, is why I depend on you to fulfil the only hope I have left!'

Kate had sunk her head in her hands, and she did not raise it. She said, in a voice of suppressed anguish: 'But what of him? What of him, ma'am. Haven't you
one
thought to spare for him?'

Lady Broome frowned down at her in utter incomprehension. 'I don't understand you,' she said coldly. 'I must, surely, have told you enough to make you realize that he is never out of my thoughts? I have watched over him, nursed him through all his illnesses, supplied his every want, cosseted him, borne with his odd humours - and you can ask me that! Do you think it has been an easy task? Let me tell you that it is so long since I enjoyed peace of mind that I have forgotten what it was like to go carefree to bed, and to wake in the morning without feeling that there was a heavy cloud hanging over me! My greatest anxiety now is that I may not be able for much longer to hide the truth about him. It was easy enough when he was a child, but he has grown too strong for Badger to overpower. Delabole can do it, but Torquil has become very cunning, and has several times given them both the slip. Neither of them can control him as I can, with no more than a word! When I set out to master him it was with the future in mind: it was imperative that he should stand in awe of me, acquire the habit of obeying me. Childhood's habits are not easy to shake off, you know. If I could have induced Delabole to be sterner - but he has always been too easy-going, and Badger, of course, merely dotes on Torquil. He's not afraid of either of them: indeed, he holds them in contempt!'

Kate said faintly: 'Does Sir Timothy know the truth?'

'Good God, no!' Lady Broome exclaimed. 'I've kept them apart as much as I could, so that he shouldn't guess. I think the shock would kill him! No one knows, except Sidlaw. It was a fortunate circumstance that until about three years ago Torquil was hardly ever out of flannel. He caused me many anxious moments, but Sir Timothy got into the way of thinking of him as invalidish. So did everyone else, and so they might well! What I went through with him!— I can't remember any epidemic that passed him by - he even had typhus, and but for me would have died of it! As for the number of times he was laid up with a putrid sore throat, or a heavy cold in the head, to say nothing of his sick headaches, they are past counting! I think only one person is suspicious, and that, I need hardly say, is Sir Timothy's dear nephew. But he can't
know
that Torquil isn't sane, and although I don't doubt he would be happy to make mischief I do him the justice to believe that he wouldn't run the risk of causing his uncle to suffer what might well be a fatal heart-attack unless there was an end to be served. But there is none! While Torquil lives, sane or mad, Philip cannot become Broome of Staplewood. And if Torquil were to father a son Philip would never succeed Sir Timothy!'

It was several moments before Kate could trust herself to speak. Hot words rose in her throat, but she choked them back. Digging her nails into the palms of her hands, she at last said, with no more than a tremor of indignation shaking her voice: 'So it was to entrap me into marrying Torquil, whom you knew to be insane, that you invited me to come to Staplewood! And I thought it was so kind of you, ma'am!'

Lady Broome lifted her eyebrows quizzically. 'Well, and have I not been kind to you, Kate? Over and over again you've said that you wished there was something you could do to repay me, but when I tell you the only thing I want from you, you give back. I hadn't thought that you would offer me nothing but lip-service. As for entrapping you - what moonshine ! Pray, how did I do so? I had no power to
force
you to come to Staplewood, and I have no power to keep you here. You are free to go whenever you wish.'

Kate got up. 'I will go tomorrow, ma'am,' she said quietly.

Lady Broome smiled. 'Certainly - if you have the money to pay the coach fare! Or do you expect me to frank you?'

'No, ma'am.'

'No? I hope you don't mean to sell the pearls I gave you!'

Kate instantly unclasped the necklet, and held it out. 'Please to take it, ma'am!'

Lady Broome laughed indulgently, and went to sit down again on the day-bed. She patted it invitingly, and said:

'Come, dear child! I was only making game of you! If you still wish to go back to London when you've heard what I have to say to you, I'll send you in my own chaise - only not, I think, tomorrow. Such a sudden departure would present a very odd appearance, and give rise to the sort of gossip neither you nor I should like. What, can't you bring yourself to sit down beside me?'

'I think it is time I left you, ma'am. Pray don't say any more! It is quite useless to try to persuade me to do what you wish. Indeed, it is worse than useless, for I might be led into saying what would be grossly uncivil, and that I am determined not to do.'

'Well, if you choose to stand!—' said Lady Broome, shruging her shoulders. 'I am not going to try to persuade you; I am merely going to ask you to look at two pictures. The first is what your life will be if you go back to London. You may find another situation - hough you weren't being very successful when I came to offer you a home, were you? What can you earn, as a governess fit only to teach young children the alphabet? Twenty pounds a year? You won't be able to save much out of that paltry wage to provide for your old age. And when the children grow old enough to be taught accomplishments you will be dismissed, and it will be all to do again - with the little money in your purse dwindling until you are ready to scrub doorsteps only to earn a few shillings to pay your landlady. Do you hope for marriage? Believe me, my dear, men may make up to you, while you keep your looks, but even a tradesman thinks twice before he offers for a penniless woman no longer in the first blush of youth. Yes, it's an ugly picture, isn't it?'

'Very ugly, ma'am.'

'Now contrast it with my second picture!' invited her aunt. 'It is what life would be like if you married Torquil. You would be rich enough to be able to indulge your whims; you would become, in due course, Lady Broome—'

'Unless Torquil murdered me in one of his rages!'

'I have no fear of that. I should not permit him to be alone with you during the periods when he is liable to take leave of his senses. At all other times he is perfectly tractable. It may well be that if you make him happy he will grow calmer. If not, and he has to be confined, you will be free to amuse yourself as you please. You won't find me a strict mother-in-law! I shall present you at the outset, of course—'

'And will you present Torquil too, ma'am? Wouldn't it be rather too exciting for him?' Kate interrupted sweetly.

'Much too exciting,' replied Lady Broome. 'Torquil will be kept at home by a sudden indisposition. In any event, it would not be for me to present him, but for his father to take him to a levee. While it is safe for him to remain at large, you would have to content yourself with no more than brief visits to London, with a female companion: that can easily be arranged. If he gets beyond control, either the West Wing can be made secure, or - and this is something I have had in mind for some time - it might be preferable to acquire a house in one of the quieter watering-places, and to send him there, in Delabole's charge. Delabole will know how to set about hiring suitable attendants: men who have had experience of looking after mad persons.'

'Oh, stop, ma'am! for God's sake, stop!' begged Kate, pressing her hands over her ears. 'You are talking about your
son!'

'My dear child, do you imagine that I mean to send him to Bedlam? He will be perfectly kindly treated, and no money will be spared to make him comfortable. As for you, once you have given Staplewood an heir - why, provided you are discreet, which I don't doubt you would be, I should turn a blind eye on any little
affaires
which you may have!'

Feeling that if she did not escape she would become hysterical, Kate went hurriedly to the door. Her aunt's voice followed her. 'Think carefully before you give me an answer!' she said..

CHAPTER XIX

Kate left the room feeling stunned. Listening to the incredible things her aunt had said, a ghastly suspicion had crossed her mind that Lady Broome was as mad as her son, but although Lady Broome's eyes had flashed once or twice in anger there had been no such glitter in them as Kate had learnt to recognize in Torquil's eyes; and when she had spoken of Torquil's childhood, and of her fantastic scheme for his future, she had done so without a trace of feeling. Only when she described her own emotions had she shown any feeling: she had not uttered a word of pity for her unhappy son; it had not seemed to occur to her that it was far more his tragedy than hers. To Kate, this, if not madness, was an egoism so monstrous as to be unbelievable.

She caught her breath on a dry sob, and went rather blindly along the gallery to her own room. But just as she opened her door she was arrested by Mr Philip Broome's voice, reaching her from the Great Hall. It was unusually sharp; he demanded imperatively: 'What the devil has been happening?'