_ CHAPTER XXXVIII. CORA UNDER ORDERS
When Cora entered the room, Madeline Payne stood before her mirror, while her maid, kneeling beside her, arranged the folds of lustrous azure silk that fell about the slender form.
The door had been opened by Hagar, who could scarcely keep her eyes off the beautiful face and form of her young mistress, and who was, in consequence, making very slow progress with the work of putting away the garments that had been discarded in favor of the lovely dinner dress.
Madeline realized fully that the part she was now playing was even more difficult and distasteful than that which she had abandoned. But she was resolute. To go back now would be worse than death. While she felt a thrill of repugnance as she saw the fair, sensual face of John Arthur's wife reflected in her mirror, she turned with smiling countenance, saying:
"Is it you, step-mamma? How kind of you! Am I delaying the dinner?"
"No more than I am," smiled Cora, in return. "I thought you might like me to wait for you, as you are so much of a stranger to your old home."
"Oh, I am not at all timid, I assure you; but it is nicer to go together. Am I almost ready, Strong?"
"Almost, Miss Payne."
"How quickly your maid dresses you," said Cora, resolved to keep the conversational ball rolling.
"Oh, yes; Strong knows how to pack things so that what you want first is uppermost, and I had my dinner dress in a hand traveling-case." Then, turning about she asked, abruptly: "Have you a good maid, step-mamma?"
Cora laughed nervously as she replied: "I have no maid, good or bad. My maid ran away a week ago, after robbing me and nearly killing me with chloroform."
"Mercy, what a wretch! What have you done with her?"
"We have not found her."
"Did you look?"
"Yes; detectives are looking for her now."
"Well, I hope they will find her. Now I am ready; come, step-mamma."
And together the two descended the stairs.
Three faces reflected three degrees of surprise, as the ladies entered the drawing-room with every appearance of good feeling and mutual satisfaction. Davlin and Percy took their cue immediately. The only one whom an observer would have pronounced not quite at ease, was Miss Ellen Arthur, who stared from one to the other rather more than was polite, and who sustained her part in the conversation in a very nervous, fragmentary manner.
Dinner being announced, Mr. Davlin promptly offered his arm to Madeline, who accepted it with perfect nonchalance. They followed Cora to the dining-room, themselves followed by Miss Arthur and Percy.
Where four people separately, and each for his own end, determine to appear cordial and perfectly at ease, each one bent upon completely blinding the other three, there must of a necessity be much conversation, and more or less hilarity, whether real or assumed.
These four, who were waging upon each other secret and deadly war, ate and drank together; and while Madeline regaled them with a fictitious account of herself during the time she had been supposed dead, the others listened and commented, and vied with each other in paying hypocritical court to the heiress of Oakley.
"You see, step-mamma," said Madeline, as they lingered over their dessert, "I was never ignorant of what was going on here. My old nurse kept me informed. When I sent you the fiction of my death, I had no intention of returning, for I had determined never to live at Oakley during my step-father's reign. But upon hearing of his insanity, I resolved to come back, being now, of course, the real head of the house. Mr. Arthur being
non compos mentis, I, as heiress, assume control of my own."
If a wish could have killed, Cora would have closed forever that insolent smiling mouth. But she felt herself powerless.
Davlin, with inimitable tact, came to her rescue: "Cora will be only too glad to welcome the queen back to her own. Indeed, she has been for some time declaring her intention of abdicating, for a time at least, and taking Mr. Arthur south to some medicinal springs. But the doctor fears the change will not benefit him."
Madeline turned her eyes upon Cora. "She can't go just yet," she said, with odd decision; "I want her society. Where is your doctor, Mr. Davlin?"
"He is up-stairs with his patient, Miss Payne. He usually joins us at breakfast, but not often at dinner."
The truth was that Lucian, not feeling upon safe ground, had advised the "doctor" to keep discreetly out of the way of this shrewd young lady for the present, lest her keen questions should draw out something not to their advantage.
Miss Payne turned to Cora again. "You have perfect confidence in the skill of this doctor, step-mamma?"
"Oh, yes!" said Cora, positively; "he has been known to me a very long time. Besides, we had in one of the Bellair doctors, who agreed with Dr. Le Guise in every particular."
"Well, I must see this learned gentleman to-morrow, and my step-papa also, I think. Step-mamma, you look fatigued; dining is too much for your strength. Let us leave the gentlemen to their wine and cigars."
As if she had been presiding at that table all her life, Miss Payne arose, bowed to the two men, and preceding the two astonished ladies, swept from the dining-room.
Cora, as she followed the graceful figure, could hardly restrain her mortification and rage. She felt a longing amounting almost to frenzy, to spring upon the girl and stab her in the back.
The two men did not linger long in the dining-room. Each felt anxious, for reasons of his own, to be again in the presence of Miss Payne, and so soon joined the ladies in the drawing-room.
After a little more hypocrisy on all their parts, Cora arose to retire to her apartments, declaring that the excitement of Miss Payne's arrival had made her forgetful of herself and her health, and that she began to feel her fictitious strength departing.
Madeline, too, arose, and offering her arm to Cora, said that she would also retire. Nodding a careless good-night to the three deserted ones, she left the room, with the fair invalid leaning languidly upon her arm.
To the surprise and dissatisfaction of Cora, Madeline not only accompanied her to her own apartment, but entered with her. Having closed the door carefully behind them, she turned about, and dropping all her assumed gayety and friendliness, said with the air of a queen commanding a subject:
"Now, Mrs. Arthur, let us understand each other!"
The sudden and marked change of her voice and manner startled the woman out of all her self-possession. She stood staring in the stern face of the girl with all of the audacity frightened out of her own.
Cora was an adventuress to the tips of her fingers. She was fond of intrigue; she possessed a certain kind of courage; but she was, after all, at heart, a coward. She was quite willing to compromise her soul for gain, but not her body. In short, she loved herself too well to find any piquancy in personal danger.
Since the loss of the papers and the flight of Celine Leroque had shaken her feeling of security, Cora had been restive and anxious to bring this plot to a climax. She had found it not at all to her taste to have Percy holding over her head a sword, be it ever so slender. And now, as she confronted Madeline, all her selfishness was alarmed. She waited in absolute fear the next words from the lips of her enemy.
"You need not weary yourself by playing the invalid in my presence, madame," pursued the girl. "I am quite well aware that your illness has been all a sham. I know, too, that you have found the
role of invalid very irksome."
The eyes of Cora widened still more, and all the color fled from her lips. But she made a fierce struggle and, although she could not summon up her usual insolence, she managed to gasp out, half defiantly: "What do you mean?"
"You understand my meaning," replied the girl, with contempt. "I mean that you are in my power, and that you must obey my will."
For a moment Cora's anger outweighed her fear. She came a step nearer and said, sneeringly: "Indeed, Miss Payne! That remains to be seen!"
"True," assented Madeline, coldly. "First, then, you had better instruct your friend, Dr. Le Guise, not to administer
hasheesh to Mr. Arthur to-morrow, in order to have him properly insane when I visit him."
Cora's knees bent under her, and all the color fled out of her face. But she rallied her flying courage enough to say: "Explain yourself, Miss Payne."
Madeline drew toward her Cora's easiest lounging chair, and seated herself therein with much deliberation, saying, as she did so:
"You had better sit down, Mrs. Arthur; there is no necessity for a display of anger, or for any more attempts at deception. The one is as useless as the other is transparent. And I have considerable to say to you."
Cora moved sullenly toward a chair and sank into it, feeling like a woman in a nightmare.
"First, then, for your position," pursued Madeline. "It is sufficient to say that I know of your scheme to dispose of Mr. Arthur and inherit the wealth you supposed to be his."
Cora was beginning to feel a return of combativeness, and she exclaimed quickly: "That is false!"
"I know," pursued her inquisitor, ignoring her retort, "that this man you call 'Dr. Le Guise,' is your tool and--
I have had every drug that has been prescribed by him analyzed by city physicians!"
Cora saw that she was indeed undone, and began to fight with the recklessness of despair. "I don't believe you!" she cried, reckless that she was committing herself. "That old spy, Hagar, has fancied these things. How could you get the medicines?"
"Not through Hagar."
"How then?"
"
Just as I got the certificate of your marriage with Mr. Percy."
The woman sprang to her feet. "You--you are--"
"Celine Leroque, madame!" with an imitation of the ladies' maid accent.
Cora fell back in her chair panting.
"Now," resumed Madeline, "why don't you reflect that, if it were my intention to denounce you, I could have done that long ago. Are you not aware that my step-father is my enemy?"
"Not--in that way."
"In that way precisely. John Arthur tortured my mother until she died heart-broken. He made my childhood miserable, and shut me up in a convent to pass my girlhood in loneliness. He bartered me in marriage to a man older and uglier than himself, for ten thousand dollars. Then I defied him to his face; swore to revenge upon him my mother's wrongs and mine; and ran away. Do you understand now why I have allowed you to persecute John Arthur?"
Cora's courage began to revive. "I think I do," she said, slowly.
"You see, Mrs. Arthur, it is in my power to arrest you; first, for Bigamy, and second, for Attempted Poisoning."
Cora looked at her coolly. "But you won't do either," she said.
"Won't I? And why not?"
"Because, to do either, you must bring your own name into too prominent notice."
Madeline laughed scornfully.
"You forget," she said, "I left my home for revenge. I feigned to be dead--I returned to Oakley in disguise--for revenge. Do you think that I will let my pride stay me when, by exposing you, I can complete my vengeance upon John Arthur?"
Cora's countenance fell. She had not viewed the matter in just that light. She made no answer, and Madeline continued:
"Don't flatter yourself that I shall hesitate, if I cannot effect my purpose otherwise. I am not disposed just now to war with you, but if you do not see fit to accept my terms, then I must turn against you."
"What do you want of me?" sullenly.
"I want you to continue as we have begun. I want Miss Arthur, Mr. Percy, and your brother, to believe us the best of friends. Above all, I want John Arthur to think us allies."
"And what then?"
"Then, you will be safe so far as I am concerned. Then, when I have accomplished my purpose and hold in my hands the keys to the Oakley coffers, you shall have money, and shall go hence to resume your career in whatever field you choose."
"What security have I for all this?"
"My word!"
"And if I reject your terms?"
Madeline smiled oddly.
"What is to prevent my leaving this place now, to-night?" said Cora.
Madeline laughed, saying: "Do you want to try that?"
"If I did, what then?"
"Then--you would not be permitted to leave these premises!"
"Ah! you have spies in this house!"
"Yes; and out of it. There is no chance for you to escape. There is no chance for any one to escape. Mrs. Arthur, is this man that you call your brother really such, or is he, too, in your plot?"
Cora looked at her keenly, but it was no part of Madeline's plan to let her know that she had ever seen Lucian Davlin before that evening. Her face was as calm and inscrutable as the face of the sphinx.
"No," said Cora, at length "my brother does not know of it."
"I am glad of that," replied Madeline. "But, for fear of any deception, he will be kept under
surveillance; and if anything is communicated to him I shall surely know it."
"Why did you rob me of those papers?" asked Cora, abruptly.
"Because," said Madeline, leaning forward, "you and I have a common enemy."
"What! not Percy?"
"Yes, Percy!"
Cora looked amazed. "But--have you known him before?"
"I never saw him until he came to Oakley."
"I can't see how he has incurred your enmity here."
"He has not incurred my enmity here. I hated him before I ever saw him."
"Why?"
"Because he has wronged a friend who is as dear to me as life."
"Oh!"
"Don't puzzle your brain over this; you won't be enlightened. It is sufficient for you to know that you can serve me if you choose, because we are both enemies of the same men." Then, rising, "Now choose; will you remain here as my ally, or leave in disgrace, and a prisoner, as my enemy?"
Cora reflected, and finally said: "I accept your terms."
"Very good; and now for precautions. You must allow me to supply you with a maid."
"What?"
"You are an invalid; I am well and strong. What could be more natural than that I should desire you to have every care and comfort that I can desire? I shall give you my maid; she will supply the place of Celine Leroque."
"I won't have her," cried Cora, angrily. "I won't have a jailer."
"Certainly not; you will have my maid, however. I will get another to-morrow."
"I won't have her!"
"Nonsense." Madeline stepped quickly to the door and opened it. "Strong," she said, softly.
Instantly in stepped Strong, who had been just outside awaiting the orders of her mistress.
"Strong," said Madeline, "I am going to let you wait upon Mrs. Arthur. She is in delicate health, and needs a maid. You must be
very attentive, and don't let her get into any draughts. You can sleep in the dressing-room; and if she is not
well cared for, I shall hold you accountable."
Cora looked at the big, robust woman, so appropriately called Strong, and felt that she was indeed a prisoner.
Strong bowed in silent submission to the will of her late mistress, and turned her broad visage upon her new one.
Madeline moved to leave the room, saying, with a return to her former manner: "Good-night, step-mamma; try and go down to breakfast with me in the morning, won't you?"
Without waiting for a reply, she opened the door and swept across the hall, and Cora heard her door close behind her. Not deigning a single glance at Strong, Cora sat tapping her foot upon the carpet and reviewing the situation. After some angry musing, the practical side of her nature began to assert itself. She reflected that she was not, after all, in immediate danger; and that she would be still, to all outward appearance, the mistress of Oakley. There was not much to fear just now, and she would keep her eyes open.
Meantime, she would not be unnecessarily uncomfortable. And so, being by nature indolent, she decided to make the most of the unwelcome Strong. Turning toward the statue-like figure near the door, she galvanized it into life by saying:
"Strong, get my dressing-gown from that closet, and then take off my dress."
And Strong commenced her duties with cheerful alacrity. _