Royal Amethyst/Chapter 13
XIII
I accompanied Count Hofberg to the gateway. As his carriage moved off, I turned back into the courtyard, and for a moment stood musing in the bright sunlight.
A gentle cough roused me. I looked up, to find Deasy standing close by, regarding first me and then his small army with inquiring looks.
“Ah, yes!” I said. “I think you had better dismiss your men, Deasy; and please give me the key of the inner door of the stone hall.”
I put the key in my pocket and went slowly across the courtyard. I had faced the count; I had now to face the princess.
When I admitted myself to the stone hall, there were no signs of storm. The princess sat in one of the wide window places, apparently calm and placid. Her eyes were bent over some piece of fancy needlework. Near her sat Nancy, taking her ease in a low chair, and amusing herself with a novel. The stone hall was very still and delightfully cool.
“I deeply regret,” I said, “that I have been obliged to keep you here so long. Before I give you your liberty, I feel it necessary to request you to confine yourself strictly to the castle until the arrival of Sir Desmond Adare. We are probably invested by an implacable enemy, and I cannot countenance the running of any risk. I once more express my regret at your unfortunate detention, which is now at an end.”
With this I marched across to the inner door, unlocked it, and threw it open. The princess rose from her seat, swept across the floor, and passed me with a stately inclination of the head. Nancy followed. Her eyes were still bent upon her book, but into mine, as she passed me, she shot a glance that was made up of fun, roguery, and full enjoyment of the situation. It was abundantly evident that she fully approved my recent proceedings.
Over a cigar in the smoking room I meditated for a long time on the events of the morning. It was plain to me that in Fritz von Hofberg I had met an adversary of remarkable ability. The longer I dwelt on the count's conversation, sentiments, and ideas, the more confused and puzzled I became. Two questions agitated my mind—first, what was Hofberg's object? Second, had he achieved it, or done anything toward achieving it?
Various answers to the first of these questions occurred to me. I put them all aside, as I threw the end of my cigar from my fingers, and went to lunch, certain only of one thing—that I intended to keep the princess out of Count Hofberg's clutch until her rightful defender arrived. I was not quite certain how I should do it, but I meant to fight to the last.
On meeting me at luncheon, the princess made no reference to the affairs of the morning.
She was somewhat reserved and a little distant in manner. She disappeared immediately after leaving the table, and Nancy and myself were left alone.
“Come into the smoking room,” I said. “I want to talk to you. Now,” I continued, when we were in strict privacy, “have I conducted this morning's operations in accordance with your views of the situation?”
“Yes, I think so,” she answered. “Amirel, of course, is piqued by the calm way in which you ignored her wishes and plans; but I am quite sure that she secretly applauds all you have done, and will eventually tell you so. By the way, Cosmo, just what did you do with the count?”
“Ah!” I said. “That's a question I can't answer, my dear Nancy. I don't know what I did, or what Count Hofberg did. I have been puzzling my brains about it ever since.”
I proceeded to relate to Nancy the conversation between the count and myself. She listened without interruption or comment. When I had finished, she remained silent and thoughtful for some time.
“Well, what do you think of it all?” I asked her at last.
“I think I see a possible line of attack,” she replied.
“And that is—”
“It would be rather clever,” she said, still thoughtful and serious. “It never occurred to me until now. Certainly Fritz von Hofberg is a villain. Don't you see that the best thing that could happen for the success of his plans would be an estrangement between Amirel and Sir Desmond? If that could be brought about, Count Hofberg's prospects would be greatly improved. Sir Desmond is, as the count rightly said, a proud man, lacking imagination and humor. If his mind could be poisoned against Amirel's companions and friends, or if his pride could be offended, he would not be slow to show his resentment. Amirel is as proud as he. She is also, as you saw this morning, very impatient of control; and if Sir Desmond showed himself distant and haughty to her friends and champions, she would adopt a strong line of her own in their defense. He would not give way, neither would she, and you may imagine the result.”
“You mean that she would break off her engagement?”
“I mean that she is so high-spirited that she would not submit to the indignity of seeing her friends put aside as unfit for her.”
“Um-m!” I said. “Count Hofberg is going to poison the wells, eh?”
“Exactly, and so cleverly that we shall not know what he is doing,” she replied.
“But I don't understand why he should have shown me all his cards,” I observed.
“There was the chance of winning you over,” she replied. “Didn't he tell you that he always tried? He makes a good try, too, does Fritz von Hofberg.”
“Well, what can we do?” I said. “Keep Strict guard over the princess and her jewels, I suppose?”
“I don't think they are in any immediate danger,” said Nancy. “It is my belief that the next act of this drama won't be played until Sir Desmond arrives.”
“And my duties will then be over,” I said. “I shall look to you to give me my discharge at once, Nancy. You acted as recruiting sergeant, you know.”
“You will probably discharge yourself,” she replied.
Then she went away to join the princess, and for the rest of the afternoon I was left to myself. I passed the time in somewhat restless fashion. I kept away from the tea table, and was moody at dinner.
I remained in seclusion for the rest of the evening, but as I walked in the courtyard that night I heard a light step near me and turned to find the princess. She paused as she came within touch of me, and I saw that her face, half hidden in some floating web of lace, was anxious and troubled.
“Mr. Hanmer,” she began, rather diffidently, “you seem to be moody and troubled, and I am much afraid that I am the cause of it all.”
“Oh, dear me, no, princess!” I replied. “Nothing of the sort, I assure you. I am somewhat pensive—that's all.”
“I am not to be put off in that way,” she said quietly. “Mr. Hanmer, I behaved very ungenerously, very rudely, to you this morning, and I am very, very sorry. Will you forgive me?” She stretched out her hand—I took it in mine for a moment. “And now,” she went on, “tell me—you are anxious, troubled, are you not? Please tell me what it is!”
After a moment's rapid thought I spoke.
“Well, princess, I am anxious,” I said. “It is useless to deny it.”
“Ah!” she said. “It is because of Count Hofberg!”
“I don't quite think it is,” I replied. “He is certainly a dangerous person, but my anxiety springs from the fear that instead of being a help I may be a hindrance to your happiness, that instead of proving a means of safety I may turn out to be a source of positive danger.”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean that I am not the man who ought to be here,” I replied. “You remember what I told you on the steamer that morning? Sir Desmond Adare has a well founded right to object strongly to my presence here.”
“But I asked you to be here!” she exclaimed with genuine warmth. “I asked you, and he cannot object to what I do!”
“What you did, princess, was done in ignorance,” I replied. “You see, you women don't know men. Sir Desmond's a man, and he'll look at the whole thing from a man's standpoint. He would be quite justified in kicking me out for my impudence—”
“Oh, no, no!” she exclaimed.
“Ah, yes, yes!” I said. “Of course, the whole thing was a big mistake. Nancy and I ought to have had more sense. The question is, do I go or stay? If I go, I shall hang about in the neighborhood until I know that you are safe, and that my services are not needed any longer. I am anxious that—that there should be no misunderstanding with Sir Desmond on my account.”
She came closer to me and laid her hand on my arm.
“Who suggested that there might be some misunderstanding?” she asked quietly.
“Oh, er—it occurred to me, you know,” I said rather lamely.
“And I suppose it occurred to the Graf von Hofberg, too, eh?” she inquired.
“He certainly did mention it,” I confessed.
She nodded her head two or three times.
“I wish you to stay, Mr. Hanmer,” she said. “I wish you to remember, too, that my trust in you is firmer than ever. I—I will be much more obedient in future than I was this morning.”
Then, before I could speak, she gave me a nod and a smile, and went away rapidly. With her disappearance my doubts and fears disappeared also. Yes, come what might, I would see the thing through!