30 chapters
8 hour read
Selected Chapters
30 chapters
LOVE AND HATRED
LOVE AND HATRED
PART ONE CHAPTER I OH, but this is terrible——" Laura Pavely did not raise her voice, but there was trembling pain, as well as an almost incredulous surprise, in the way she uttered the five words which may mean so much—or so little. The man whose sudden, bare avowal of love had drawn from her that low, protesting cry, was standing just within the door of the little summer-house, and he was looking away from her, straight over the beautiful autumnal view of wood and water spread out before him. H
19 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER II
CHAPTER II
MOTHER and son dined alone together, and then, rather early, Mrs. Tropenell went upstairs. For a while, perhaps as long as an hour, she sat up in bed, reading. At last, however, she turned off the switch of her electric reading lamp, and, lying back in her old-fashioned four-post bed, she shut her eyes for a few moments. Then she opened them, widely, on to her moonlit room. Opposite to where she lay the crescent-shaped bow-window was still open to the night air and the star-powdered sky. On that
18 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER III
CHAPTER III
THE door of Mrs. Tropenell's long low drawing-room opened very quietly, and Laura Pavely came through into the room. She had left a brightly lighted hall for a room of which the only present illumination radiated from a shaded reading lamp standing on a little table behind which sat her hostess. Thus, for perhaps as long as half a minute, Laura thought herself alone. During that half minute Mrs. Tropenell, with eyes well accustomed to the shaded light, gazed at her visitor with an eager, searchi
15 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER IV
CHAPTER IV
LAURA and Oliver Tropenell walked across the grass in silence, and still in silence they passed through under the great dark arch formed by the beech trees. Laura was extraordinarily moved and excited. Her brother, her dear, dear Gillie, coming home? She had taken the surprising news very quietly, but it had stirred her to the depths of her nature. Without even telling her of what he was going to do, the man now walking by her side had brought about the thing that for years she had longed should
13 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER V
CHAPTER V
MRS. TROPENELL, waiting for Oliver to come back, lost count of time, and yet not much more than half an hour had gone by before she heard the sound of a glazed door, which opened on to the garden from a distant part of the house, burst open. In that sound she seemed to hear all the impatience, all the pain, all the frustrated longing she divined in her son. She got up from her chair and stood listening. Would he go straight upstairs—as she, in her stormy, passionate youth, would have done in his
12 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER VI
CHAPTER VI
AT Rosedean, the small, mid-Victorian house which every one going to and fro between Freshley Manor and Lawford Chase was bound to pass by, Mrs. Winslow sat in her drawing-room waiting for Godfrey Pavely. He was coming in to see her on his way home from Pewsbury, where, at the Bank, he spent each day at least six of his waking hours. All the summer, up to to-day, Mrs. Winslow had always had tea in the garden, but there was now a freshness in the air, and she thought they would find it more comfo
14 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER VII
CHAPTER VII
ONLY Harber, the woman who, after having been maid to Katty during her troubled married life, had stayed on with her as house-parlourmaid and general factotum, was aware of how very often Mr. Pavely called at Rosedean on his daily walk home from Pewsbury. To-day he had hardly pressed the bell-knob before the front door opened. It was almost as if Harber had been waiting for him in the hall. As he put down his hat and stick he was conscious of feeling very glad that he was going to see Katty. Mrs
15 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER VIII
CHAPTER VIII
GODFREY PAVELY was standing in his private room at Pavely's Bank. It was only a little after ten, and he had not been in the room many minutes, yet already he had got up from his writing-table and moved over to the middle one of the three windows overlooking the prim, exquisitely kept walled garden, which even nowadays reminded him of his early childhood. He had gazed out of the window for a few moments, but now he stood with his back to the window, staring unseeingly before him, a piece of note
25 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER IX
CHAPTER IX
"GODFREY can't eat me! Besides, he'll have to see me some time. Not that I want to see anything of the fellow—I always hated him! Still, as things are, it's far better I should take him by surprise, in Laura's house, than go cap in hand, and ask his leave to see my sister." It was Gilbert Baynton who was speaking, standing with his legs a little apart, his fair head thrown back, his hands in his pockets, early in the afternoon of the day he and Oliver had arrived from London. Mother and son were
12 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER X
CHAPTER X
KATTY WINSLOW stood by her open gate. She had wandered out there feeling restless and excited, though she hardly knew why. During the last fortnight she had spent many lonely hours, more lonely hours than usual, for Godfrey Pavely came much less often to see her than he had done in the old, easygoing days. And yet, though restless, Katty was on the whole satisfied. She thought that things were going very much as she wished them to go. It was of course annoying to know so little, but she was able
18 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XI
CHAPTER XI
WHEN Godfrey Pavely arrived at the Bank next morning it seemed to him that days, instead of hours, had gone by, since that hateful and degrading scene had taken place between himself and his wife's brother. Laura had not spoken to him again, except to utter the few sentences which were necessary to keep up the pretence that they two were on their usual terms, before the servants, and, what had been more difficult, before their little daughter. After Alice had gone to bed, they had eaten their di
19 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XII
CHAPTER XII
AS so often happens after hours or days of crises, and even of quarrel, things went better for a while after Laura's return to The Chase. True, life was now, even more than before, dull, sad, and difficult. She missed Oliver Tropenell's constant companionship and stimulating talk, more than she was willing to acknowledge even to her innermost self. And yet, when Godfrey spoke of the other man's absence from Freshley with regret, his words jarred on her, and made her feel vaguely ashamed. Yet sur
12 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XIII
CHAPTER XIII
CERTAIN days become retrospectively memorable, and that however apparently uneventful they may have seemed at the time. To Laura Pavely the 6th of January opened as had done all the other days during the last few weeks, that is, quietly, dully, and sadly. There was one difference, trifling or not as one happened to look at the matter. Godfrey was away in London. He had been absent for over a week—since the 28th, and though he had been expected back last night, there had come a telephone message,
16 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XIV
CHAPTER XIV
THERE are certain winter days when bed and bath seem to be the only two tolerable places in the world. Katty Winslow, on waking up the next morning, that is, on Saturday, the seventh of January, knew at once, though she was snuggled down deep in her warm bed, that it was very much colder than it had been the evening before. She shivered a little, telling herself that perhaps she was not in as good condition as usual, for she had only just come back from spending Christmas and the New Year away.
18 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XV
CHAPTER XV
"WELL, my dear—any more news?" But even as Mrs. Tropenell, looking up from her breakfast-table, asked the question, she knew what the answer would be. It was the following Monday morning. The post had just come in, and at once, knowing that the postman called first at The Chase, Oliver had hurried off to the telephone. He had been there a long time—perhaps as long as ten minutes—and when he came back into the dining-room his mother was struck afresh by the look of almost intolerable strain and a
14 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XVI
CHAPTER XVI
IT was the morning of the 15th of January, and already Godfrey Pavely's disappearance had excited more than the proverbial nine days' wonder. Laura had gone to her boudoir after breakfast, and she was waiting there, sitting at her writing-table, feeling wretchedly anxious and excited, for all last night she had had a curious, insistent presentiment that at last something was going to happen. She had sent Alice off to her lessons, for there was no object in allowing the child to idle as she had i
19 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XVII
CHAPTER XVII
SIR ANGUS KINROSS, Chief Commissioner of Police, stood gazing down, with a look of frowning perplexity, at the sheet of typewritten paper he held in his hand. For what seemed a very long time to the other three people now present in the big light room overlooking the Embankment, he remained silent. But at last he exclaimed, "I think it very probable that this is a hoax—a stupid, cruel hoax!" And, as no one spoke, he added slowly, "Whether it be so or not can soon be ascertained." He saw a look o
12 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XVIII
CHAPTER XVIII
THEY went up the lift in two parties: Sir Angus Kinross, the house agent, and the two men from Scotland Yard; then Lord St. Amant and Katty Winslow alone. As they were going up, he said kindly, "Are you sure you are wise in doing this? I fear—I fear the worst, Mrs. Winslow!" With dry lips she muttered, "Yes, so do I. But I would rather come all the same. I'll wait outside the door." Poor Katty! She was telling herself that it was surely impossible— impossible that Godfrey Pavely should be dead.
11 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XIX
CHAPTER XIX
AND so, in this at once amazing and simple way was solved the mystery of Godfrey Pavely's disappearance. Inquiries made by the police soon elicited the fact that the Portuguese financier had told the truth as regarded his business in England, for a considerable number of persons voluntarily came forward to confirm the account the man had given of himself in his strange letter. During his sojourn at the Mayfair Hotel, the now mysterious Fernando Apra had impressed those who came in contact with h
10 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XX
CHAPTER XX
IT was the day of Godfrey Pavely's funeral, and more than one present at the great gathering observed, either to themselves or aloud to some trusted crony or acquaintance, that the banker would certainly have been much gratified had he seen the high esteem in which he was held by both the gentle and simple of the surrounding neighbourhood. Even Lord St. Amant was a good deal impressed by the scene. Every blind in the High Street was down—a striking mark of respect indeed towards both the dead ba
7 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XXI
CHAPTER XXI
THOSE winter and spring months which followed the tragic death of Godfrey Pavely were full of difficult, weary, and oppressive days to his widow Laura. Her soul had become so used to captivity, and to being instinctively on the defensive, that she did not know how to use her freedom—indeed, she was afraid of freedom. Another kind of woman would have gone away to the Continent, alone or with her child, taking what in common parlance is described as a thorough change. But Laura went on living quie
16 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XXII
CHAPTER XXII
A YEAR ago, almost to a day, Mrs. Tropenell had been sitting where she was sitting now, awaiting Laura Pavely. Everything looked exactly as it had looked then in the pretty, low drawing-room of Freshley Manor. Nothing had been added to, nothing withdrawn from, the room. The same shaded reading-lamp stood on the little table close to her elbow; the very chrysanthemums might have been the same. And yet with the woman sitting there everything was different! Of all the sensations—unease, anxiety, fo
15 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XXIII
CHAPTER XXIII
TO any imaginative mind there is surely something awe-inspiring in the thought of the constant secret interlocking of lives which seem as unlikely ever to meet, in a decisive sense, as are two parallel lines. How amazed, how bewildered, Laura Pavely would have been could she have visioned even a hundredth part of the feeling concerning herself which filled her nearest neighbour, Katty Winslow's, heart! Even in the old days Katty had disliked Laura, and had regarded her with a mixture of contempt
13 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XXIV
CHAPTER XXIV
IT had been a little after three o'clock when Katty Winslow entered Mr. Greville Howard's study—and now it was half-past four. The room had grown gradually darker, but the fire threw out a glimmering light on the faces of the two sitting there. All at once Katty realised, with a sense of acute discomfiture, that as yet her host had said nothing—nothing, at least, that mattered. He had drawn out of her, with extraordinary patience, courtesy, and intelligence, all that she could tell him —of what
15 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XXV
CHAPTER XXV
FIVE quiet weeks slipped by—weeks full of outward, as well as of inward, happiness at The Chase and at Freshley. Katty Winslow had come back to Rosedean, and then, without even seeing Laura, had gone away again almost at once. She was still away when there took place early in December the gathering together, for the first time for many years, of a big shooting party at Knowlton Abbey. Just before joining that pleasant party, Mrs. Pavely spent a week in London, and certain Pewsbury gossips, of wh
12 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XXVI
CHAPTER XXVI
"WE have solved the mystery of Godfrey Pavely's death!" Such were the words with which Sir Angus Kinross greeted Lord St. Amant, when the latter, arriving at his rooms, found the Commissioner of Police already there. "D'you mean that you've run Fernando Apra to earth?" The speaker felt relieved, and at the same time rather discomfited. He had not associated the Commissioner of Police's summons with that now half-forgotten, painful story. Godfrey Pavely had vanished out of his mind, as he had van
11 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XXVII
CHAPTER XXVII
IT was now early, very early in the morning after the return of Lord St. Amant to the Abbey. Dead dark, and dead quiet too, in the great sleeping house. Not dead cold, however, in his lordship's comfortable bedroom, for he had built up the fire, as he sat on and on, still fully dressed, reading, or trying to read—his bed exactly in the same state as when he had gone upstairs from the drawing-room about eleven. It was years and years since Lord St. Amant had last stayed up all night, but though h
11 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XXVIII
CHAPTER XXVIII
MRS. TROPENELL stood by the window of the pretty, old-fashioned sitting-room which she had now occupied for over a week, and which she knew would be, in a special sense, her own room, after she had became Lady St. Amant. She was already dressed for the drive home with Laura Pavely. It was nearly twelve o'clock, and the car would be round in a few minutes. But she was waiting on, up here, for her son, for after breakfast Oliver had said casually: "I'll come up to your room for a moment, mother—I
9 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
CHAPTER XXIX
CHAPTER XXIX
IT was arranged between Lord St. Amant and the coroner—who was his lordship's own medical attendant (when he required a medical attendant, which was seldom)—that the inquest should be held at Freshley Manor. The body had been placed in Mrs. Tropenell's own room, that is, in the very room, as the cook, who had been in the house close on thirty-five years, explained to some of the members of the jury, where poor Mr. Oliver had been born. So it was there, in that peaceful, old-fashioned, lady's bed
5 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter
THE END
THE END
On page 352, "Olive" was replaced with "Oliver". On page 355, "a great deal as as" was replaced with "a great deal as". On page 361, "expresson" was replaced with "expression"....
9 minute read
Read Chapter
Read Chapter