XXI How Mrs. Calverley Made Her Will
On returning to her dressing-room, after the painful interview with Lord Courland, Mrs. Calverley sat down for a few minutes to collect herself; and then, taking a large sheet of paper from a drawer, began to write out a formal document.
She pursued her task, without intermission, for more than half an hour; and then, having completed it, rang the bell for Laura.
“Shall I bring your breakfast, ma’am?” asked the lady’s-maid.
“No; I do not require any breakfast,” replied Mrs. Calverley.
“Let me persuade you to take some, ma’am. You look very ill.”
“I am too busy just now,” rejoined Mrs. Calverley.
“Beg Mr. Carteret to come to me. You will find him in the library. I also wish to see Mr. Higgins. Request him to come up to me in about five minutes—not before.”
“I understand, ma’am.”
“Stay!” cried Mrs. Calverley. “I have several letters to write, and shall not want you. If you like you can drive to Brackley in the pony-carriage.”
“Oh! thank you, ma’am! May I take Monsieur Zephyrus with me?”
“Monsieur Zephyrus, and anybody else you like. You needn’t take the groom.”
Laura departed, full of glee.
Shortly afterwards, the attorney made his appearance.
“Pray sit down, sir,” she said. “I wish you to read this document.”
“Why, you have been making your will, I perceive!” he cried, as he took the paper.
“Will it suffice?” she asked, briefly.
“It seems to me, from a hasty glance, that it will answer perfectly,” he replied. “But we will go through it. You divide your property equally, I find, between Chetwynd and Mildred, Quite right. But I do not approve of the bequest of five thousand pounds to Lord Courland. However, I suppose it must stand.”
“It must,” she observed in a peremptory tone.
Mr. Carteret then went on.
“I am much pleased that you have remembered your late husband’s old servant, John Norris. The faithful fellow well deserves the thousand pounds you are good enough to leave him. I also observe that you have made several minor bequests, and have not forgotten your attendant, Laura Martin.”
“I believe Laura is attached to me,” remarked Mrs. Calverley.
“I have no doubt of it,” said Mr. Carteret. “As executors, I see you have appointed Sir Bridgnorth Charlton and Chetwynd, with a legacy to the former of a thousand pounds. No appointment could be more judicious. The will requires no alteration.”
“I wish to execute it at once,” said Mrs. Calverley.
“In that case, we shall require another witness. We cannot have Norris, since he is a legatee.”
“I have provided for that,” said Mrs. Calverley; “and have told Laura to send up Lady Thicknesses butler, Higgins. He may be without.”
“I will see,” replied Carteret.
Finding Higgins at the door, he explained the business to him, and brought him in.
The butler bowed respectfully, and seemed greatly struck by Mrs. Calverley’s changed appearance, but he made no remark.
“I want you to witness my will, Mr. Higgins,” she said.
“I am ready to do so, ma’am,” he replied. “But I would rather witness any other document.”
The attorney then placed the will before Mrs. Calverley, and she executed it with a firm hand—the two witnesses duly attesting her signature.
This done, Higgins was about to depart, when Mrs. Calverley gave him a purse that was lying on the table.
“This is far more than I desire or deserve, ma’am,” he said, with a grateful bow. “But I trust you may live many and many a year, and make half a dozen more wills.”
“I do not think I shall,” she murmured, faintly.
With another profound bow, Higgins retired.
“All is now finished, madam,” said Carteret. “Shall I take charge of the will?”
“No; leave it with me,” she rejoined.
Seeing she did not desire to say more, the attorney hastened to depart.
She remained sitting firmly upright till he was gone, and then sank backwards.