Chapter XXVI:
Marriage and Honeymoon
LUCRETIA lay awake long after Lady Dubley had retired, thinking over the statements she had just heard.
"How could it be possible for such honest eyes as Reggie's, to look into my face and declare his love and devotion, when he knew he loved another?" she thought.
"Oh, this is too cruel. There must be some mistake, for what have I done to be deceived and treated so cruelly? Reggie could not be guilty of such an unmanly act.
"But suppose he proposed out of pity for me when he learned that I was to be sent away because of the accident?
"I cannot think well to-night. Oh, how my head throbs!
"Lady Dubley after all meant to be kind. I am sure she would not misrepresent things to me. Georgiana is already happily married, and there is nothing to gain by causing me unhappiness, and she could have warned me sooner if she wished to prevent the marriage because of personal feelings.
"No, I cannot believe that she would be inflicting a needless misery upon me. She only wishes to prepare me not to expect too much happiness.
"Oh, mother dear! would that you were here to advise your poor unhappy child! Ah! Sister Julie often warned us at the convent of the deceit and cruelty of men. But Reg—Reggie, Oh Reginald! how can I believe that you are deceiving me?"
Thus the poor girl raved all night, sobbing and praying for some way out of her unhappy state.
The next morning was dark and a misty snowstorm raged outside.
Lord Winslow and the few family guests arrived, just as the pale and trembling bride was having the finishing touches arranged to her toilet.
The ceremony was performed in the castle drawing room.
At the wedding breakfast Lord Winslow and the guests noticed the pale and pathetic look upon the face of the young bride, but thought that the excitement and natural bashfulness were responsible.
They entered a limousine and drove away amid the usual rice and shoe showers. Arriving at the station they were joined by Zina and Nogi and they took the noon express for Portsmouth, where they embarked in Lord Winslow's yacht and crossed the Solent channel for his island castle, near St. Catherine's Point upon the southwestern part of the Isle of Wight.
The large old Norman castle stood with its facades and massive towers ranging one above the other and situated upon a promontory that overlooked some rugged cliffs upon which the waves of the channel constantly broke into feathery spray as the sound of their noisome breakers was wafted up to the castle.
Lucretia was delighted with her surroundings but the seed Lady Dubley had sown continued to crop up no matter how hard she tried to forget.
The fact that the Countess was never referred to seemed to indicate that Lord Winslow either regarded the subject too sacred to be discussed or wished to spare her feelings.
The first open little cloud started when Lucretia was dressing for a ball given in their honor. Lord Winslow was about to clasp a diamond necklace about her neck and noticed that she had not removed the chain and claw.
"Why do you continually wear that charm around your neck my dear? You are no longer a child and it is very unbecoming," Lord Winslow remarked as he attempted to unclasp it.
"Do not unloosen the chain, Reginald, I must never remove it from my person," Lucretia replied.
Lord Winslow recalled the charges Lady Dubley had made when she referred to the African idol. For a moment a frown flitted across his forehead as he wondered if his wife believed in fetish and charms. But his great love and confidence soon dispelled the doubts and he inquired the reason she prized the trinket.
After she related the circumstances of her father's escape and wound made by the claw, and his warning as he clasped it upon her neck, Lord Winslow was satisfied that it was merely a sentiment and desire to respect her father's wishes that prompted her to object to its removal.
"But, my dear, you cannot appear in an evening gown wearing the claw, so give it to me; I shall keep it in one of my inside pockets so that it will still be with you," he playfully ended.
Lucretia began to wonder why her father had placed such an objectionable article around her neck which caused everybody to regard her as a fetish worshipper. Her loyalty to her father, however, influenced her to wear it, and her husband's happy solution was met with tears of gratitude.
Lord Winslow's objection to Lucretia visiting among the peasants caused quite a bit of friction.
One day he happened to be riding through his estate and saw Lucretia holding a sick baby, outside of a small cottage, while a little ragged urchin of four held on to her skirts and seemed quite familiar with her.
Lord Winslow was very much annoyed. As he rode near, she called out to him before he could speak.
"Oh, Reggie, this poor baby was smothering to death inside with a fever and I brought him out for a breath of air."
"Fever?" Lord Winslow asked, what are you thinking of, exposing yourself among such unsanitary surroundings? Give the child to its mother and return with me to the castle. You must have these clothes burned and never act a nurse again. I am glad you are interested in the poor people but you may send them money, food, and hire a nurse, but do not expose yourself among them."
"I am very sorry I cannot obey your commands at present, because the poor mother has gone to secure some medicine and groceries and I am keeping house. Send Zina down, please."
Lord Winslow was constantly provoked at Lucretia's democratic habits, as he could not convince his young wife that ladies of her position should not mingle among their unfortunate sisters.
She religiously performed her many social duties, at which times he prompted and tried to have her act so perfectly correct that the poor child had begun to lose her natural grace and enshroud herself in a shy reserve that was mistaken among their friends for pride and unfriendliness.
Lady Dubley's words constantly recurred to Lucretia, and at each misunderstanding, she became more unhappy and believed he was comparing her faults to Georgiana's virtues.
Spring arrived, and Lord and Lady Dubley came in the early part to remain with the couple and join the yachting party that Lord Winslow was planning to sail during the first of May.
Lucretia improved considerably with her uncle's companionship. She suspected that Lord Winslow had tired of her company and had therefore invited the older people to come so early.
Lady Dubley soon read the telltale lines of Lucretia's face. As they sat alone one afternoon, she remarked:
"My poor child, how I pity you. It's really cruel of Reginald not to have given you a pleasant honeymoon, at the least. But I knew his pride would soon overcome his desire for revenge and that he would regret having married a wife who had once been an African priestess. Oh, it stung him when he heard of it, but of course, my dear, you were not to blame," she ended as she noticed with alarm the dead pallor which overspread Lucretia's face.
"Georgiana writes that the old Count has been poorly. The dear child is so anxious about him that she will not leave his side," she concluded after Lucretia did not faint or become hysterical.
"Aunt Georgiana," Lucretia remarked, "please do not misjudge Reginald. He has treated me very kindly, and if I look unhappy it is because I am not very well. You must remember that this was my first winter and I am acclimating. Don't mention anything to uncle, please, about what you have said to me," Lucretia said as she arose.