there was the check curtained bed! it must be the
wizard’s chamber! Crossing to another door,
he found it both locked and further secured by a large
iron bolt in a strong staple. This latter he
drew back, but there was no key in the lock.
With scarce a doubt remaining, he shot down the one
stair and flew up the other to try the key that lay
in his chest. One moment and he stood in the
same room, admitted by the door next his own.
Some exposure was surely not far off! Anyhow
here was room for counter plot, on the chance of baffling
something underhand—villainy most likely,
where Mrs Catanach was concerned!—And yet,
with the control of it thus apparently given into
his hands, he must depart, leaving the house at the
mercy of a low woman—for the lock of the
wizard’s door would not exclude her long if she
wished to enter and range the building! He would
not go, however, without revealing all to the marquis,
and would at once make some provision towards her
discomfiture.
Going to the forge, and bringing thence a long bar
of iron to use as a lever, he carefully drew from
the door frame the staple of the bolt, and then replaced
it so, that, while it looked just as before, a good
push would now send it into the middle of the room.
Lastly, he slid the bolt into it, after having carefully
removed all traces of disturbance, left the mysterious
chamber by its own stair, and once more ascending
to the passage, locked the door, and retired to his
room with the key.
He had now plenty to think about beyond himself!
Here certainly was some small support to the legend
of the wizard earl. The stair which he had discovered,
had been in common use at one time; its connection
with other parts of the house had been cut off with
an object; and by degrees it had come to be forgotten
altogether; many villainies might have been effected
by means of it. Mrs Catanach must have discovered
it the same night on which he found her there, had
gone away by it then, and had certainly been making
use of it since. When he smelt the sulphur, she
must have been lighting a match.
It was now getting towards morning, and at last he
was tired. He went to bed and fell asleep.
When he woke, it was late, and as he dressed, he heard
the noise of hoofs and wheels in the stable yard.
He was sitting at breakfast in Mrs Courthope’s
room, when she came in full of surprise at the sudden
departure of her lord and lady. The marquis had
rung for his man, and Lady Florimel for her maid,
as soon as it was light; orders were sent at once to
the stable; four horses were put to the travelling
carriage; and they were gone, Mrs Courthope could
not tell whither.
Dreary as was the house without Florimel, things had
turned out a shade or two better than Malcolm had
expected, and he braced himself to endure his loss.
