“I know now what something Dick said in his letter means,” cried Barbara. “‘The machinations of the wicked.’ I know what that expression means now.”
“They are going to exhume the little body,” continued Mrs. Pelham, who was now crying bitterly. “They are going down to Pelham Towers, and they will open the little coffin, and the doctor employed by the Crown—for, of course, the Crown prosecutes in a case like this—will exhume the child’s little body. Even in his grave my darling must not rest in peace. They will have to do so in order to prove whether the child really swallowed the poison or not.”
“Who has told you all this?” asked Barbara. She began to tie the strings of her cloak with trembling fingers.
“Luke Tarbot, of course. Where are you going, dear? I feel so bitterly for you. I know that you at least are perfectly innocent.”
“I wonder you think so,” said Barbara. “I would almost rather you did not. If Dick could be guilty of such a monstrous crime, why should not I connive at it? Oh, this is too fearful! I am going away, Mrs. Pelham.”
“It does not matter to you, for you are Dick’s enemy—Dick, who loved you! But stay, Dick himself had suspicions. He suspected Dr. Tarbot.”
“That is one of the strong cases against him, Barbara. His causeless suspicions, his restlessness, his acute misery after the death of the child, have been strongly commented on, and will prove a powerful lever against him. What earthly motive would Dr. Tarbot have in injuring the child?”
“Ah, that I have to find out,” said Barbara. “Well, good-by. I am thankful I came up to town. My Dick! Yes, the accusation is too monstrous. Good-by.”
Lady Pelham left the room without touching Mrs. Pelham’s hand.
She went into the street. Her eyes were bright; she held herself erect; she did not look like a woman stricken down. Now was the time to act. Once or twice as she hurried along in the direction of Harley Street she even laughed to herself. She soon reached Dr. Tarbot’s house and rang the bell.
“Is Dr. Tarbot in?” she asked of the servant.
“Lady Pelham. I wish to speak to him immediately.”
The man stared at her with undoubted curiosity—curiosity so great that even the mask which he was, as a servant, obliged to wear was slightly lifted. He showed Barbara into the waiting-room and went to inform his master. In an instant he came back, threw open the door for Lady Pelham, said that Dr. Tarbot would see her, and took her into the consulting-room.