The Mask of the Enchantress (43 page)

I don know how I got through that day.

Janet came into my room during the morning. On impulse I showed her Jacob Cringle letter.

ooks like a bit of blackmail to me,she said.

e hates Susannah,I replied. understand it. He thinks she was responsible for Saul death.

ou mustn go there tonight.

going to tell Malcolm when I see him.

es,said Janet. ake a clean breast of it. I don think hel be too hard. I think he a bit soft on you. You were such a change after Susannah. He couldn abide her.

l have to go away, Janet. Il have to leave everything.

oul be back. I just feel it in my bones. But wait and tell Malcolm. That your best plan.

o I thought.

I went out so that I did not need to come back for luncheon. I had another day here, for Malcolm could not be back until late. I would not speak to him today. It would be tomorrow.

I came back and went to my room. It was the middle of the afternoon. I took out Jacob Cringle letter and read it again.

The strange thing was that I had been turning over in my mind the possibility of giving new equipment to the Cringlesfarm, to give Jacob an incentive to work harder, for I knew he was a good farmer. I should in time have given him all he was demanding. But he hated me because he thought I was Susannah. I wanted to tell him that I understood, he wanted vengeance. But how could I?

As I sat there, the letter in my hand, the door opened and to my horror I saw that it was Garth.

h, the little impostor,he said. re you glad to see me?

o,I answered.

nd what have you got there?

He snatched the letter from me and when he read it his expression changed.

illy man!he said. e knows too much.

am not going to see him,I replied.

ut you must.

am going to tell Malcolm as soon as I get the chance. There will be no need for me to see Jacob Cringle.

He was thoughtful, looking at me through narrowed eyes.

f you don see him he will come to the castle. He will shout the truth for all to hear. You should see him and explain who you are. Tell him that, and hel have no case. Susannah is dead. That the end of it. It the only way.

think I should tell Malcolm first.

alcolm will not be back until late tonight. You have to see Jacob first.

I was thoughtful.

l come with you. Il protect you,he said. don need you with me.

ery well. But it won do for him to go about shouting all this.He tapped the letter. l see him tonight. Il explain.He nodded. To my surprise he did not pester me further.

I had made up my mind. I was going to see Jacob Cringle. I was going to tell him that I was not Susannah, that I had never known his brother Saul and that Susannah was dead. Perhaps that would satisfy him and ease his craving for revenge.

Then I was coming back and I was going to tell Malcolm the truth.

I felt a sense of relief. My mad masquerade was coming to an end. Whatever the price asked, I must pay it and bear whatever was coming to me, for I deserved it.

The day seemed as though it would never end. I was glad when it was time for dinner, though I could not eat. Garth, Emerald and I kept up some sort of conversation. I can remember what I said but, whatever it was, it was very vague, I am sure. I was thinking all the time of what I was going to say to Jacob Cringle and most of all how I would tell Malcolm afterwards.

I dreaded the evening and yet I could not wait for it to come.

When the meal was over I hurried to my room and changed into my riding habit. It was half past eight and my rendezvous with Jacob Cringle was for nine olock. It would take me ten minutes to ride to the barn.

Janet came in. She was very distressed.

ou ought not to go,she said. don like it.

must go, Janet,I told her. have to talk to Jacob Cringle. He must have an explanation. His brother died and he blames Susannah. I took her place and I feel I owe him an explanation.

o write a letter like thatit nothing short of blackmail and blackmailers are bad people.

don think it is quite as simple as that. I think there is a difference in this case. Anyway, Ie made up my mind.

As we stood there we heard the sound of a horse hoofs below.

hat would be Malcolm,said Janet, looking at me steadily.

shall tell him tonight. As soon as I get back I shall tell him.

on go,begged Janet urgently.

But I shook my head.

She stood still looking after me as I went out.

In the stables I mounted my horse. Malcolm was there. So it was he who had just come in. One of the grooms would be coming soon to tend his horse, so I had to be quick.

I rode out of the stables. The barn looked eerie in moonlight. I had never got over my dread of the place since I had seen that horrible thing hanging there.

I tied up my horse and as I was doing so I heard the sound of a rider approaching. I thought it must be Jacob. I looked around me and someone was leaping down beside me. It was Garth.

coming with you,he said.

ut I began.

o buts,he commanded. ou can handle this alone. You need help.

want no help.

ut youe going to get it whether you want it or not.

He took my arm. I tried to shrug him off but he held on firmly.

ome on,he said.

The barn door creaked as we opened it. We went in. Jacob was there with the lantern. I saw that the scarecrow was still hanging from the rafters.

o youe come, miss,said Jacob, and broke off when he saw that I was not alone.

es,I said, came. Ie come to tell you that you are mistaken.

ot me, miss. You can talk me out of this. My brother Saul killed himself, they say, but it was you what led him to it.

o, no. I not Susannah Mateland. I am her half sister. I took her place.

Garth was gripping my arm so strongly that it hurt.

hut up, you little fool,he muttered.

Then he said loudly, blusteringly: hat all this about, Cringle? Youe trying to blackmail Miss Mateland.

iss Mateland ruined us when she lured my brother to his death. We lost heart then. I want a chance to start again that all to build up the farm as she took him away from us, so she should give this to us.

nd what will you do, my good man, if I tell you that this night work has lost you your farm?

I caught my breath. o no, that not so.

l tell you what I say,cried Jacob. say I make this place too hot to hold you two. I have you brought to justice.

o you know what you have done, Cringle?murmured Garth lightly. ou have just signed your death warrant.

hat do you mean ?began Jacob.

I screamed, for Garth had taken a pistol from his pocket and was pointing it at Jacob. But Jacob was too quick for him. He made a dash for Garth and caught the hand which held the weapon.

The two men struggled. I stood cowering against the wall.

Then the door opened and someone came in just as the pistol shot rang out. I stared in horror at the blood spattering the wall.

The pistol had fallen to the ground, and Jacob Cringle was staring at the body lying there.

It was Malcolm who had come in and the sight of him overwhelmed me with relief. He knelt beside Garth.

e dead,he said quietly.

There was a terrible silence in the barn. The light from the lantern shone on that macabre scene. From the rafters the horrible scarecrow dangled, his face turning towards us with the red gash in its face where the mouth should have been.

And on the floor lay Garth.

Jacob Cringle covered his face with his hands and began to sob. e killed him. Ie killed him. Ie done murder. was Satan work.

Malcolm said nothing for a moment. I thought the terrible silence was going on and on. It was like a nightmare. I could not believe it was real. I was desperately hoping that I should wake up soon.

Then Malcolm spoke. omething has to be done and quickly.

Jacob lowered his hands and stared at him. Malcolm was pale; he looked grim and determined.

e dead,he said. here no doubt of it.

nd I killed him,whispered Jacob. amned forever, I be.

ou killed him defending yourself,said Malcolm. f you hadn killed him he would have killed you. That self-defense and no crime. We have to act quickly. Now listen to me, Jacob.

Youe let your lust for revenge get the better of your good sense. Youe a good man at heart, Jacob, and you be a better one if you were not so self-righteous. Wee got to act at once. Ie thought of this rather quickly, so it may have flaws. On the face of it, it seems it might work. Youe going to help me.

-what, sir?

fter tonight you shall have a lease on the farm for yourself and your children, and you shall have the equipment to make the farm prosperous again. This lady is not Miss Susannah Mateland. She has been masquerading as the owner of the castle. You will understand in due course. But there could be trouble. A man has been killed tonight and no matter how it happened there will be questions asked and blame attached. You and I are going to set fire to this barn, Jacob. We are going to wipe out all trace of what happened tonight. Well leave the lantern here among the hay. The fire has to seem accidental. Two people are going to appear to have died in the fire. Garth Larkham and this lady. This will be the end of Susannah Mateland as well as Garth Larkham.

He turned to me. isten carefully. You will go back to the castle, take as much money as you can lay your hands on. Take my horse, not your own. Leave yours here. Try not to be seen, but if you are, act naturally. Don let it be seen that you are riding my horse, so don take it to the stables. Tether it in the woods while you return to the castle. When you have taken the money come back to my horse and ride to Denborough station. It is a distance of twenty miles. Stay at the inn there and leave my horse. I will collect it tomorrow. Take the train to London. There is one at six in the morning. And when you are in London you will assume your real identity and lose yourself.

I felt desperately unhappy. My masquerade was over and so was everything that was worthwhile to me. I could hear the coldness in his voice. He despised me.

He had, of course, every reason to. But at least he was giving me a chance to escape.

He said: ive me that ring you are wearing.

I stammered: y father gave it to me.

ive it to me,he went on sternly. nd your belt and your brooch.

With trembling fingers I drew them off and gave them to him.

hey will provide some evidence of your presence here in the burned-out barn, even though they won find your body. Well, Jacob, what do you say?

l do as you say, sir. is true I had no intent to kill him. It just went off.

think he intended to kill you, Jacob, to silence you forever. Give me the pistol. It comes from the castle. Il take it back.He turned to me. hat are you waiting for? Count yourself fortunate. It time you were off.

I moved away. He called after me: ou know what to do. It imperative not to make a mistake. Get out unseen if you possibly can and don forget, take the six olock train to London.

I stumbled out as though in a daze. I took his horse and rode back to the castle.

No one saw me as I went to my room. Janet was there, looking very agitated.

sent him off after you,she said. showed him Jacob note and told him who you were.

h, Janet,I said, t the end. I going away tonight.

onight!she cried.

es. Youl hear what happened. Garth is dead. But it all going to seem different from what it actually was. And I to go right away away from you all, Janet.

coming with you.

o, you can. It wouldn work if you did. Ie got to disappear and people have to think I was burned to death in the barn with Garth.

don understand all this,said Janet.

ou willand youl know the truth. It the end. It has to be the end. I must obey him. He said I was not to delay but to get away quickly. I must go. I must take what money I can. I going to London. I have to make a new life for myself.

Janet ran out of the room while I collected what money I could. It was not a great deal but with care it would last a few months. Janet came back with a bag full of sovereigns and a cameo brooch.

ake them,she said. nd let me know what happens. Write to me. Promise. No swear. Always let me know where you are. The brooch was given to me by Anabel. Itl fetch a nice little bit.

can take this, Janet.

ou can and Il be mortally offended if you don. Take it and let me know where you are always.

will, Janet.

hat a solemn vow.

She put her arms round me and we clung together for a few moments. It was the first time I had ever seen Janet show great emotion.

Then I left the castle. I went to that spot where I had tethered Malcolm horse. I stopped only for a moment to look back at the castle shimmering ghostlike in the moonlight.

As I turned and rode away I saw a conflagration on the other side of the woods. I could smell the acrid burning and I knew that the barn was now on fire. It was destroying the evidence of what had happened that night. Garth was dead; Susannah was dead. The masquerade was over.

After the Masquerade

Three months have passed.

I suppose I am not unfortunate. Mrs. Christopher is good to me. I arise every morning at six-thirty, make her tea, take it in to her, draw the blinds and ask if she has had a good night. Then I have my breakfast, which is brought to me by one of the maids, a little grudgingly, for she does not see why she should be asked to wait on the companion. Then I help Mrs. Christopher with her toilet. She is crippled with rheumatism and finds walking painful. After that I take her out for her morning ride in her Bath chair. I walk along the promenade, for we are in Bournemouth, and she stops and chats with acquaintances while I stand by and sometimes get a bleak good morning addressed to me.

Then I take her back. And in the afternoon while she rests, I exercise the pekinese, who is a bad-tempered creature and about as fond of me as I am of him, which means there is a state of armed neutrality between us which could break into open warfare at any moment. I go to the lending library and choose booksomantic tales of love and passionhich please Mrs. Christopher. These in due course I read to her.