The Notting Hill Mystery Page 2

  "Poor Gertrude now sank rapidly, and though every means was tried,and she still lingered on for three or four hours, she at last sankaltogether, passing away at the last so quietly that we hardly knewthat she was gone. Poor darling, I always loved her as being such afavourite with you all.... One word before I close as to the paperwhich was the unhappy cause of this terrible blow. It contained, as Ihad feared, the long-dreaded intelligence of Sir Edward's fatal quarrelwith Mr. H.; and I send it off by the same post, as you will wish toknow the sad particulars. I cannot write more now, for I am fairly wornout, and must take some rest. You know how deeply I sympathise withyou.... "Most affectionately yours, "HELEN WARD."

  5. _Extract from the_ "Morning Herald," _of the 12th of November,_ 1832.

  "_Fatal Duel at Dieppe._--We learn from the Paris papers, that anextraordinary and fatal duel took place some days since in theneighbourhood of Dieppe, between two Englishmen, neither of whom haveas yet been identified. It appears that the parties encountered eachother in the court-yard of the Hotel de l'Europe, where one of them,whose linen bears the mark of C. G. H., had been staying for somedays. The new comer at once assailed the other evidently with the mostopprobrious language, to which Mr. H. replied with equal warmth, butthe conversation being carried on in English, was unfortunately notunderstood by any one present. The altercation at length grew so warmthat the landlord was compelled to interfere, and the parties thenleft the hotel together. A few hours afterwards Mr. H. returned, andcalling for his bill, hastily packed his portmanteau, and departed. Hehas since been traced to Paris, where he was lost sight of altogether.Early the next morning a rumour spread that the body of an Englishmanhad been found in a vineyard, about a mile distant from the town, andon enquiry it proved that the victim was no other than the gentlemanwith whom the dispute had occurred on the previous night. It wasevident on examination that the unfortunate man must have fallen infair fight, though no seconds appear to have been present during theencounter. A pistol, recently discharged, was firmly grasped in thehand of the dead man; and at a dozen paces distant lay its fellow,evidently the weapon with which he had been killed. The fatal wound,too, was exactly in that portion of the chest which would be exposedto an adversary's fire, and had evidently pierced the heart, so thatdeath must have been instantaneous. The weapons, too, with which thefatal duel was fought appear to have been the property of the deceased.They were a very handsome pair of duelling pistols, hair triggers,and evidently of English make. On the butt of each was a small silvershield, bearing the initials "E. B.," and an armed hand grasping acrossbow. The initials of the unfortunate gentleman's opponent were,as we have said, C. G. H.; and we have reason to fear that the victimwas a young baronet, of considerable landed property, with whose suddendeparture for the Continent rumour has for some time been busy.

  "Since our first edition went to press, we have received furtherparticulars, which leave no room for doubt that the victim of theabove fatal occurrence was, as we feared, Sir Edward Boleton, Bart.,of Beechwood, Kent; but the cause of the duel, and the name of hisopponent, still remain a mystery. The unfortunate gentleman leavesbehind him a young wife, to whom he was united but a few monthssince. Failing a male heir, the baronetcy will now, we understand,become extinct, while the bulk of the estates will pass to a distantconnection. The widow, however, is, we believe, in possession of aconsiderable independent property."

  6. _Mrs. Ward to Honourable C. B**._

  "July, 1836.

  "MY DEAR CATHERINE,

  * * * * *"You ask me whether I am satisfied with what I saw the other day ofpoor Gertrude Boleton's little ones. To say that I am satisfied withtheir appearance would, poor little things, be hardly true, for theyare still anything but healthy--poor Gertie especially looking likea faded lily. The younger, however, is certainly improved, and will,I hope, do well, and I quite think that they both are better wherethey are than they could possibly be elsewhere. It is indeed sad, poorthings, that they should have no near relation with whom they couldlive, but I quite agree with you that, in your state of health, itwould not only be too great an undertaking for yourself, but would beby no means beneficial to them. Indeed I am convinced that on everyaccount they are best where they are. The air of Hastings seems to suitthem, and in the higher part of the town where Mrs. Taylor lives isbracing without being too cold. Mrs. Taylor herself is a most excellentperson, and extremely fond of them. She seems especially interested inpoor Gertie, and never wearies of relating instances of the wonderfulsympathy between the twins. This sympathy seems even more physicalthan mental. According to Mrs. Taylor, every little ailment thataffects the one is immediately felt also by the other, though with thisdifference, that your namesake, Katie, is but very slightly affected byGertie's troubles, while she, poor child, I suppose from the greaterdelicacy of her constitution, is rendered seriously ill by every littleindisposition of her sister. I have often heard of the strong physicalsympathies between twins, but never met myself with so marked aninstance. Both, unfortunately are sadly nervous, though here, too, theelder is the greatest sufferer, while in the younger it seems to takethe form of extreme quickness of perception....

  Of course, as they grow up, they should be placed with some one in ourown rank of life, but for the present I think poor Mrs. Taylor will dovery well.... I shall be at Hastings again next month, and will writewhen I have seen them.... "Affectionately yours, "HELEN WARD."

  7. _From Mrs. Taylor to Honourable C. B**._

  About January, 1837.

  "HONNERED MISS,

  "with My Humbel duty to Your ladyshipp and i am trewly sory to sai asmis Gerterud hav took a terrabel bad cold wich i Was afeard as she wuddo has Miss kattarren av Likeways Had wun for 2 dais past wich i Amsory to sai as mis gerterud is wuss than mis Kattaren but Hoping shewil be Well agen Sone wich has I hev told your Honnered Ladyshipp theyas allers the same trubbels ony pore mis gerterud allers hav them Wust.Honnered Miss the docter hay ben her wich he sais has mis Kattaren hisquite wel agen he sais Honnered mis he hops mis gerterud will sone bewel 2. honuered Mis yore Humbel serv(t). to comand "SARAHTAYLER."

  8. _From the Same to the Same._

  About June, 1837.

  "HONNERED MIS

  "with My humbel Duty to Yore ladyshipp hand i am trewly thenkfull tosai the dere childern are both quit wel wich miss Kattaren made erselfHill on teusday and pore miss gerterud were verry bad in connsekens for3 dais but his now quit wel agen. honnered mis yore Ladyshipps humbelser(t). to comand "SARAH TAYLER."

  9. _From Same to Same._

  "July, 1837.

  "HONNERED MIS

  "with my humbel duty to Yore ladyshipp hand wud you plese Cum Direclywich sumthink Dredfull hav apenned to pore mis Kattaren honnered misYore Ladyshipps humbel ser(t) to comand "SARAH TAYLER."

  10. _Mr. Ward to Honourable C. B.**_

  "Marine Hotel, Hastings,"12th July, 1837.

  "DEAR MISS B**,

  "Helen was unfortunately prevented from leaving home at the time yourletter arrived, so, as the matter seemed urgent, I thought it best tocome myself. I am sorry to have to send you such very unsatisfactoryintelligence. Poor little Catherine has been lost--stolen, I am afraid,by gipsies--and I have hitherto been quite unable to find any clue totheir whereabouts. It appears that Mrs. Taylor took them for a tripwith some friends of hers to Fairlie Down, where they fell in with agang of gipsies, of whom, however, they did not take any particularnotice. They had taken their dinner with them, and after finishing itsat talking for some time, when suddenly the child was missed; and,though they hunted in every direction for several hours, no traceof her could be found. On returning to the place where the gipsieshad been seen, the camp was found broken up, and the track, afterpassing near where they had been sitting, was lost on the hard road.Unfortunately, poor Mrs. Taylor--who seems quite distracted
by whathas happened--could think of nothing at first but writing to you, andit was only by the gossip of her friends, who live at some distancefrom the town, that the intelligence at length reached the police.Enquiries were being set on foot when I arrived last night, but I fearthat, from the time that has been lost, there is now but little chanceof recovering the poor child. I have advertised in all directions, andoffered a large reward, but I have little hope of the result, nor arethe police more sanguine than myself. Unfortunately poor Catherine'sdark, gipsy-like complexion, and black eyes and hair, will render iteasy to disguise her features, while her quick intelligence and lithe,active figure, will make her only too valuable an acquisition to theband. I need not tell you how grieved I am at this fresh trouble tothese poor children, and I fear Gertrude will suffer severely from theloss of her sister, with whom she has, as you know, so extraordinary abond of sympathy. I am going now to the police station to consult onfurther measures, and will write to you again by to-morrow morning'spost. "Ever, dear Miss B**, Very truly yours, "HENRY WARD."

  11. _Mrs. Vansittart to the Honourable C. B**._

  "Grove Hill House Academy, Hampstead Heath,"Wednesday, May 1st, 1842.

  "MADAM,

  "I have much pleasure in complying with your request for a monthlyreport of the health and progress of my very interesting young friendand pupil, Miss Boleton. In a moral and educational point of viewnothing could possibly be more satisfactory.... Of my dear youngfriend's health I am compelled, however, to lament my inability toaddress you in the same congratulatory terms which in all other mattersI am happily so well authorised to employ. Notwithstanding the extremesalubrity of the atmosphere by which in this justly celebrated localityshe is surrounded, and I trust I may venture to add the unremittingattention she has experienced both at my own hands and those of mymedical and educational assistants, her general health is still, Iregret to say, very far from having attained to that condition ofentire convalescence at which I trust she may yet, with the advantageof a prolonged residence upon the Heath, before very long arrive. Mymedical adviser, Dr. Winstanley,--a physician of European reputation,and one in whom I can repose the most entire confidence,--informs methat Miss Boleton is suffering from no especial ailment, though subjectfrom time to time to fits of illness to which it is often difficultto assign any sufficient cause, and which after a while disappear asstrangely as they arose. He trusts with me that the pure air of theHeath, which so far as we can venture to believe has already beenbeneficial to his interesting patient, will in course of time effecta radical cure. The loss of her young sister, of which you informedme on her first joining our little society, inflicted, beyond doubt,a very serious blow upon her naturally feeble constitution; but Itrust that its effects are already passing away. I shall, of course,adhere strictly to your instructions never in any way to allude to thesad occurrence in conversation with Miss Boleton, and have thought itadvisable not to acquaint her companions with the fact. On the 1st ofnext month I shall again do myself the honour of acquainting you withthe progress made by my interesting young friend, and have little doubtof being at that time able to furnish you with a satisfactory accountof her physical no less than of her moral and intellectual advancement.For the present, dear madam, permit me to subscribe myself, "Your very faithful "And obliged servant, "AMELIA DOROTHEA VANSITTART." "To the Honourable Catherine B**."

  12. _Mrs. Ward to the Honourable C. B**._

  "14 June, 1851."MY DEAR CATHERINE,

  "Very many thanks for your early intelligence of dear Gertrude'sengagement. I, congratulate you most heartily, though as you haveyourself alluded to it, I cannot deny that I should have been betterpleased had Mr. Anderton, in addition to all his other good qualities,possessed that of a somewhat less nervous and excitable temperament.I have always liked him much; but with poor Gertrude's own delicateconstitution I cannot but fear the results of such an union upon both.However, it is impossible to have everything, and in all other respectshe seems more than unexceptionable, so once more I congratulate youheartily. Are you really thinking of coming up to the Exhibition?....Give my best love to dear Gertrude, and say all that is kind and properfor us to her _fiancee._ Ever, dear Catherine, "Affectionately yours, "HELEN WARD."

  [Footnote 1: Great-aunt of the late Mrs. Anderton. The object of goingso far back will presently appear.]

  [Footnote 2: Scratched out.]

  [Footnote 3: The residence of Sir Edward Boleton.]

  [Footnote 4: This letter is omitted as containing nothing of anyimportance.]

  SECTION II.

  1. _Memorandum by Mr. Henderson._

  We now come to that portion of Mrs. Anderton's[1] history whichembraces the period between her marriage and the commencement of herlast illness. For this I have been compelled to have recourse tovarious quarters. The information thus afforded is very complete, andtaken in conjunction with what we have already seen in Miss B----'scorrespondence of the previous life of this unfortunate lady, throwsconsiderable light upon two important points to be hereafter noticed.The depositions, however, unavoidably run to a greater length than atthis stage of the proceedings, their bearing on the main points of thecase would render necessary, and I have therefore condensed them foryour use in the following memorandum. Any portion, not sufficientlyclear, may be elucidated by a reference to the originals enclosed.

  Mr. Anderton was a gentleman of good origin, closely connected withsome of the first families in Yorkshire, where he had formed theacquaintance of Miss Boleton, while staying at the house of her greataunt, Miss B----. He appears to have been of a most gentle and amiabledisposition, though unfortunately so shy and retiring as to have formedcomparatively very few intimacies. All, however, who could be numberedamong his acquaintance seem to have been equally astonished at thecharge brought against him on the death of his wife, with whom he wasalways supposed, though from his retired habits little was positivelyknown, to have lived upon terms of the most perfect felicity. Asthe event proved, the case would in effect never have come on fortrial; but, had it done so, the defence would have brought forwardoverwhelming evidence of the incredibility of such a crime on the partof one of so gentle and affectionate a disposition.

  During the four years and a-half of their married life there does notappear to have been a cloud upon their happiness. Mrs. Anderton'sletters to her great aunt, Miss B---- (to whom I am indebted foralmost the whole of the important information I have been able tocollect respecting the family) are full of expressions of attachmentto her husband and instances of his devotion to her. Copies of severalof these letters are enclosed, and from these it will be seen howunvarying was their attachment to each other. Throughout the entireseries, extending over the whole period of her married life, there isnot a single expression which could lead to any other conclusion.

  It is, however, evident that the delicate health with which Mrs.Anderton had been afflicted from her birth, still continued, and in twoinstances we have indications of the same mysterious attacks noticedin the letter of Mrs. Vansittart, before quoted. These, however,appear to have been but very slight. They had for some years been ofmore and more rare occurrence, and from this date, (October, 1852), wehave no further record of anything of the kind. Still Mrs. Anderton'sgeneral health continued very unsatisfactory, and almost everythingseems to have been tried by her for its improvement. Among the enclosedcorrespondence are letters dated from Baden, Ems, Lucca, Cairo, andother places to which the Andertons had, at different times, gone forthe health of one or other, Mr. Anderton being also, as stated in Mrs.Ward's letter of the 14th June, 1851,[2] extremely delicate.

  Of this gentleman all accounts agree in stating that the chiefailment was a constitutional nervousness, mental as well as physical.The latter showed itself in the facility with which,
though by nomeans deficient in courage, he could be startled by any suddenoccurrence however simple; the former, in his extreme sensitivenessto the opinions of those about him, and his dread of the slightestshadow of reproach on the name of which he was so justly proud. Inthe accompanying documents you will find instances of both theseidiosyncrasies.

  In the summer of 1854 Mr. Anderton's attention seems to have beendrawn to the subject of Mesmerism. They had been spending some weeksat Malvern, where this science seems particularly in vogue, and hadthere made acquaintance with several of the patients at the differentwater-cure establishments, by some of whom Mr. Anderton was stronglyurged to have recourse to mesmeric treatment both for Mrs. Anderton andhimself.