THE COLLECTED WORKS OF ETHEL LINA WHITE. Ethel Lina White
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she was grilling in her own special hell. Unable to bear the thought of the agony of her sleepless night, he was goaded into indiscretion.
"Don't worry, Marianne," he said. "I don't. But then I know Julia's death won't affect us financially. Don't mention it to anyone—but she's left all her money to me."
The violence of Marianne's relief took the form of a tempest of tears, while she hugged her husband and her sleeping babies. After she had awakened them, the doctor left her to her just business of putting them to sleep again, and went downstairs to his novel.
He had not been reading for long, when the door opened and Marianne stood looking at him, with a strange, withdrawn expression in her eyes.
"What's the matter?" he asked.
"Nothing." She shut the door. "Horatio, I've been in the dispensary. I've measured up...That was a very strong draught you gave Miss Corner."
"Of course it was," he replied lightly. "She's taken so many that she complained they had lost their effect. I specially wanted her to have a good night. Besides, you could see, for yourself, she'd poured out a double-dose."
"I know...Will there be a post-mortem?"
Dr. Perry stared back at his wife.
"My evidence would make it unnecessary, as I've been attending her constantly. Besides Scudamore, as Coroner, will want the minimum of fuss."
"Of course. He'll be all for hush-hush."
"But," went on the doctor, "in my own interest, I shall insist on one."
"Ah!" Marianne's sharply released breath was almost a sob. "Will you do it yourself?"
"In the circumstances, no. I shall get Rawlings to do it. He's a police-surgeon, so it should be his natural job."
"Oh, darling, darling." Marianne nearly strangled him with the vehemence of her hug. "God alone knows how much I love my babies—and you. I shall sleep soundly tonight."
And—behind drawn blinds—someone else looked through the darkness, as though it were a lighted mesh, and broke the silence with a laugh...Someone else—someone anonymous—passed a good night, cheered with the prospect of a crop of future developments...
True to Dr. Perry's prediction, the inquest on Miss Corner was an affair of taste and discretion. As there was no unpleasant Public Institution in the village, it was held in the old Tithe-Barn—a beautiful Elizabethan building. Mr. Scudamore, as Miss Corner's solicitor, had charge of her legal affairs; her only two relatives—male cousins—had expressed regret, and the information that they would attend the funeral, presumably as the preliminary to the reading of her Will.
Mrs. Pike, recalled from her first Continental holiday, was back at Miss Corner's house, getting things ready for the funeral, and later, for the Sale. Although overcome with sorrow, she was glad to be back in England, although she had only got as far as Ostend, which she disliked intensely.
She never went abroad again, but she continued to judge the whole of the Continent from her personal experience of eight homesick hours at a Belgian seaport. For thus are racial prejudices implanted.
Both she and May gave evidence at the inquest. May proved loyal, and stupid to the verge of dumbness; but the Coroner framed his questions that she might mutter the requisite 'yes' or 'no', which satisfied everyone.
The formal identification had been followed by Dr. Perry's evidence. He stated that he had attended Miss Corner, who, ever since he knew her, had lived, practically, under sentence of death, owing to advanced heart-disease and high blood-pressure. He added that she would not follow medical advice and indulged in dangerous over-exertion. She had been engaged in strenuous gardening, on the evening of her death, so, had been pre-disposed to succumb to an overdose of veronal, which she had poured out, in error.
Prominence was given to the accident of the smashed glasses, but the anonymous letter was touched on but lightly. Dr. Rawlings—a police-surgeon from a neighbouring town, gave corroborative evidence as to Miss Corner's state of health—a jury-man asked a question about the anonymous charge of intemperance brought against the local Temperance leader.
And then—when everything was practically over Dr. Rawlings—recalled—-stated that the post-mortem had revealed the deceased to be of entirely abstemious habit. Dr. Perry bolstered up his testimony, while Mrs. Pike swore that her mistress drank only water, but was a terror for tea.
Both she and May declared that there was never a drop of intoxicant kept in the house, even for visitors. Mrs. Pike stated that, in her opinion, the bottle of whisky which was concealed in the wardrobe, had probably been bought, by Miss Corner, in Cheltenham, in order to try a cure for insomnia, as her mistress hated drugs and threw most of the doctor's draughts down the sink.
No one raised any more awkward facts, or asked tactless questions—and the Jury brought in a verdict of 'Death from Misadventure.'
The funeral took place the next day, and was strictly private. Dr. Perry, Mr. Scudamore, Mrs. Pike and the two relatives were the only official mourners, although the church and graveyard were crowded. Many people sent their cars, and there was a large display of floral tributes.
One of the cousins had obviously attended solely to mark his respect, so brought no flowers; but the other, who was an optimist, carried a wreath, and remarked that 'blood was thicker than water'—a tactless and slighting reference to Miss Corner's preferential campaign.
The optimist's hope was slaughtered directly they returned to the house, and listened, in the library, to Miss Corner's Will. It was short and to the point. Mrs. Pike received an annuity of two pounds a week, and May a legacy of a hundred pounds. The residue of the estate, after payment of all debts, was bequeathed to Dr. Horatio Perry.
Dr. Perry kept his eyes fixed on a dark-blue cube on the Persian carpet, so that no one might read their expression. Although he had buoyed up Marianne with hope, he, himself, had questioned whether Miss Corner had actually carried out her promise.
Surcharged with relief, he asked no question as to the amount he might expect to receive; but Mr. Scudamore recognised the delicacy of his position, and whispered, "details later."
The relatives consulted their watches, and Mrs. Pike served the Madeira and rich biscuits she considered proper to the occasion. Shortly afterwards the cousins left to catch their train, via the bus.
When they had gone, the lawyer lit his cigar, and enlightened Dr. Perry with a slow and deliberate explanation of Miss Corner's financial position. He remarked that she had played for safety, so had invested her small private fortune in an annuity. In addition to this income, she made considerable sums of money from her writing, so that she was able to afford a lavish and luxurious scale of living. She also gave large contributions to charity and had many pensioners. It was true that there was a mortgage on the house, which cost many thousands to build, but her assets would exceed her liabilities.
"All things considered, she will 'cut up' very creditably," said the lawyer. "She spent well, and no one will be poorer for her death. Of course, Perry, from your point of view, she died a few years too soon. When she made this Will in your favour, only four months ago, she told me that she was going to pay off the mortgage on the house, out of income, in order to leave the property clear. Still—you will receive the residue."
Dr. Perry smiled and thanked the lawyer for his precise information.
"I leave this house a richer man than I entered it," he said. "I am very grateful to my friend."
On his homeward way, he looked rather depressed; but, in the end, his philosophy prevailed. It was true that he had lost his most lucrative patient; but, all the same, he retained the best practice in the district.
What he dreaded most was Marianne's reception of his news. For a few days, she had soared in a riot of imagination. Miss Corner's death was nothing to her, for she had never liked the novelist. In her mind, she was nothing but an old stump which should be uprooted to make room for her two young saplings.
The doctor found her in