In the spring of the new year, the marriage took place.
At the special request of Agnes, the members of the family were the only
persons present at the ceremony. There was no wedding breakfast--
and the honeymoon was spent in the retirement of a cottage on
the banks of the Thames.
During the last few days of the residence of the newly married
couple by the riverside, Lady Montbarry's children were invited
to enjoy a day's play in the garden. The eldest girl overheard
(and reported to her mother) a little conjugal dialogue which touched
on the topic of The Haunted Hotel.
'Henry, I want you to give me a kiss.'
'There it is, my dear.'
'Now I am your wife, may I speak to you about something?'
'What is it?'
'Something that happened the day before we left Venice.
You saw the Countess, during the last hours of her life.
Won't you tell me whether she made any confession to you?'
'No conscious confession, Agnes--and therefore no confession that I
need distress you by repeating.'
'Did she say nothing about what she saw or heard, on that dreadful
night in my room?'
'Nothing.
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