It seemed an endless time the hour that she waited in her room, and
then a knock came to the door, and Ivan's voice saying his master
desired her presence in the sitting-room at once, and she hurriedly
went there to find Count Roumovski standing by the mantelpiece looking
very grave.
"Stella," he said, "there has been an accident to the train my sister
was to have arrived by--it is not serious, but she cannot be here now
until the early morning perhaps--unless I send the automobile to
Viterbo for her. The line is blocked by a broken-down goods train which
caused the disaster," he paused a moment, and Stella said, "Well?"
rather anxiously.
"It will be impossible for us to remain here," he continued, "because
it may be that your relations, aided by the Embassy, will have traced
us before then, and if they should come upon us alone together, nothing
that I could say or prove could keep the situation from looking
compromising,"--he now spoke with his old calm, and Stella felt her
confidence reviving. He would certainly arrange what was best for them,
she could rely upon that.
"What must we do then?" she asked gently, while she put her head on the
sleeve of his coat.
"I will wrap you up in the fur cloak, darling," he said, "and you must
come in the automobile with me to meet Anastasia. Your family must not
find you again until your are in my sister's company. We ought to start
at once."
It spoke eloquently for the impression which he had been able to create
in Stella's imagination of his integrity and reliability, for the
thought never entered her brain that it was a most unusual and even
hazardous undertaking to start out into the night in a foreign land
with a stranger she had not yet known for a week. But that was the
remarkable thing about his personality; it conveyed always an
atmosphere of trust and confidence.
It was not long before Miss Rawson was ready, wrapped in the long gray
cloak she had worn before, and with the veil tied over her hat, and was
descending in the lift alone with Ivan--her lover having gone on by the
stairs.
Their departure was managed with intelligence. Stella and the servant
simply walking out of the hotel and down the street to where the car
waited, and then presently Count Roumovski joined them, and they
started.
"Ivan will remain behind to answer any questions if the reverend
clergyman and your aunt do come," he said, when they were seated in the
car in the settling sunlight. "And now, sweetheart, we can enjoy our
drive."
Stella felt deliciously excited, all the exultation of adventure
thrilling her, and the joy of her lover's presence. She cared not where
they were going, it was all heaven.
"We shall stop at a little restaurant for some dinner," he said, "it
will be rather bad, but we must not mind, it would not have been wise
to risk any well-known place," and soon they drew up at a small cafe on
the outskirts of Rome, where there were a few people already seated at
little tables under the trees. They were all Italians, and took no
notice of the Russian and his lady.
It was the greatest amusement to them both, this primitive place, and
to be all alone ordering their first meal together, and Sasha Roumovski
exerted himself to charm and please her. He had recovered complete
mastery of himself, it would seem, and his manner, while tenderly
devoted, had an air of proprietorship which affected Stella exceedingly.
They spent an enchanting half hour, as gay as two children, with all
the exquisite under-current of love in their talk; and then they got
into the motor again.
"Let us have it open," Count Roumovski said. "The evening drive will be
divine."
And Stella agreed.
The road to Viterbo is far from good, one of those splendid routes
which lead from Rome which ought to be so perfect and in reality are a
mass of ruts and pitfalls for the unwary. The jolting of the car
constantly threw Stella almost into her lover's arms, who was sitting
as aloof as possible. He had gradually become nearly silent, and sat
there holding her hand under the rug, using the whole of his strong
will to suppress his rising emotion.
The beautiful colors of the lights of evening over the Campagna; the
sense of the spring time and the knowledge that she belonged to him
heart and body and soul were madly intoxicating as they rushed through
the air. He dared not let himself caress her gently, which he might
have permitted himself to do, and he held her little hand so tightly it
was almost pain to her.
As for Stella, she was profoundly in love. Her whole nature seemed to
be awaking and blooming with a new grace and meaning. Her soft eyes,
which glanced at him in the glowing dusk, swam with tenderness and
unconscious passion, and once she let her head rest upon his shoulder,
when a violent jerk threw her toward him, and at last he encircled her
with his arm and there they sat trembling together, she with she knew
not what, and he very well knowing, and fighting with temptation.
Thus they spent an hour in a bliss that was growing to agony for him,
and then it grew perfectly dark, and the stars came out in myriads in
the deep blue sky, and on in front of them the headlights of the motor
made a flaming path in the night.
And all this while he had resisted his strong desires, and never even
kissed her.
At last human endurance came to an end, and he said to her almost
fiercely:
"Stella, my beloved one, I cannot bear this, I can no longer answer for
myself. I shall settle you comfortably among the furs where you must
try to sleep, and I shall go outside with the chauffeur. If I were to
stay--"
And something in the tone of his voice and in his eyes made her at last
have some dim, incomprehensible fear, and yet exaltation, and so she
did not try to dissuade him, and soon was alone endeavoring to collect
her thoughts and understand the situation.
Thus eventually they reached Viterbo, and drew up at the station door,
when Count Roumovski seemed to have regained his usual calm as he
helped her out with tender solicitude. The passengers, they learned,
were still in the train, half a mile up the line, waiting until it was
cleared to go on to Rome.
At last, after generous greasing of palms, permission was given for
Count Roumovski to walk on and find his sister. And Stella was put back
into the motor to await their coming.
Her heart began to beat violently. What would she be like, this future
sister-in-law? She must be very fond of Sasha to have come from Paris
at a moment's notice like this, to do his bidding. It seemed a long
time before she heard voices, and saw in the dim light two figures
advancing from the station entrance, and then Count Roumovski opened
the door of the automobile, and Stella started forward to get out.
"Anastasia, this is my Stella," he said, in his deep voice. "You cannot
see her plainly, but I tell you she is the sweetest little lady in the
world, and you are to hasten to love each other as much as I love you
both."
Then in the half dark Stella stepped down and found herself embraced by
a tall woman, while a voice as deep for a feminine one as Count
Roumovski's was for a man whispered kind, nice things in the fluent
English which brother and sister both used. And a feeling of warmth and
security and happiness came over the poor child, to be in a haven of
rest at last.
"Now we shall all pack in and get to Rome before dawn," the princess
said. "Sasha assures me the automobile will be faster than the train."
So it was arranged, and, with Stella between them, the two Russians sat
in the commodious back seat, and this time Count Roumovski allowed
himself to encircle his beloved with his arm--and very often
surreptitiously kissed her little ear and that delicious little curl of
hair in her neck. She had taken off her hat, that its brim might not
hit the princess, and had only the soft veil wound round her head,
which loosened itself conveniently. This drive back to Rome was a time
of pure enchantment to them both. And when the first streaks of dawn
were coloring the sky they arrived at the door of the Excelsior Hotel,
where Ivan had supper ordered and awaiting them.
The princess proved to be a handsome woman when they got into the
light, with the same short face and wide eyes as her brother. Stella
and she made immediate friends, and before they parted to try and sleep
the princess said:
"Stella, that my brother loves you proves that you must be a very dear
girl, that is what made me come from Paris at his instantaneous
bidding. He is the most splendid character in the world, only don't
cross his wishes. You will find it is no use, for one thing," and she
laughed her deep laugh. "He always knows best."
"I am sure he does," said Stella shyly. "I felt that at once, and so I
did not hesitate."
Next morning, when the three were seated at a merry early breakfast in
the sitting-room discussing what should be said in Stella's letter to
her Aunt Caroline, a loud knock came to the door, and, without waiting
for a response, Canon Ebley and Stella's cousin, Mr. Deanwood, entered
the room.
The princess rose with dignity, draping her silk morning wrapper round
her like a statue, and Stella stepped forward with outstretched hand.
"Oh, Uncle Erasmus," she said gaily, before any of the party could
speak, "I am so glad to see you. I was just going to write to Aunt
Caroline to tell her where I am, quite safe, in case she was worried
about me. Let me introduce you to my future sister-in-law, Princess
Urazov, with whom I am staying. My fiance, Count Roumovski, you have
met before."
Afterwards she often wondered how this emancipated spirit of daring had
ever come to her. But she felt so joyous, so full of love and
happiness, that it seemed that she could not be afraid or annoyed with
anyone in the world.
"Stella, you are a shameless girl," Canon Ebley retorted in a horrified
voice. "I refuse to admit that you are engaged to this gentleman. Your
whole conduct has been a scandalous series of deceptions and you must
be ready to return at once with your aunt and your affianced husband.
They are following us here now."
Then Stella used a weapon that she had more than once found effectual
with her uncle. She flung herself into his arms and clasped him round
the neck. He was a short, portly man, and from this position she began
to cajole him--while Count Roumovski looked on with amused calm, and
his sister, following his lead, remained unmoved also.
Mr. Deanwood was the only restless person; he felt thoroughly
uncomfortable and bored to death. He hated having been dragged into
this family quarrel, and secretly sympathized with his cousin in her
revolt at the thought of being Eustace Medlicott's wife.
"Oh, dear Uncle Erasmus!" Stella purred, from the highly perturbed
clergyman's neck, where she was burrowing her sweet head, rubbing her
peach-like cheek against his whiskered cheek. "Don't say those dreadful
things, I have not deceived anybody, I have known Count Roumovski since
the day after we came to Rome, and--and--I love him very much, and you
know I always thought Eustace a bore, and you must agree it is wicked
to marry and not to love, so it must be good to, oh!--well, to marry
the person you do love. What have you to say against it?"
Canon Ebley tried to unclasp her arms from round his neck. He was
terribly upset. To be sure, the girl was very dear to him, and had
always been so sweet a niece, a truthful, obedient child from early
infancy. Caroline had perhaps been a little hard--he had better hear
the facts.
"Dear me, dear me," he blurted out. "Well, well, tell me everything
about the case, and, though I cannot consent to anything, I must do you
the justice of hearing your side."
"Won't you sit down here, sir?" Princess Urazov said, "and let my
brother and your niece tell you their story. Mr. Deanwood, we met at
Buda-Pesth two years ago--" and she turned to the young man and
indicated that he should join her in the far window embrasure, which he
did with alacrity, and from there they heard, interpolated in their
personal conversation, scraps of the arguments going on between the
three.
Stella, assisted by her lover, told of her first talk and her drive,
and their rapidly ripening affection for each other, and the girl
looked so happy and so pleading. Then Count Roumovski took up the
thread. He explained his position, and how his view of life had always
been direct in its endeavor to see the truth and the meaning of things,
and how to him love was the only possible reason in ethical morality
for any marriage between two people.
"It is merely a great degradation, otherwise, sir," he said earnestly.
But here Canon Ebley was heard to protest that he could not understand
a love which had sprung into being with such violence in the space of
three days, and he felt very suspicious of its durability.
"Oh, Uncle Erasmus, how can you say that!" Stella interrupted him.
"Why, you have often said that you yourself fell in love with Aunt
Caroline from the moment your eye lighted upon her in church--in
church, remember, you old darling!" and she nestled up against his
shoulder again. Caresses like these she was always obliged to suppress
in her austere aunt's presence; they were only to be indulged in upon
great occasions, and to gain an important end, she knew! So the rogue
smiled archly as she went on. "You could hardly wait until you were
introduced at the garden party the next day, and Aunt Caroline said you
proposed to her before the end of the week!"
"Come, come," the cornered uncle growled, bridling, but a smile grew in
his kindly eyes.
"There!" exclaimed Miss Rawson, triumphantly. "You cannot have another
thing to say, except that you consent and wish us happiness."
"It is true you are of age, Stella," Canon Ebley allowed, "and if you
like to take the law into your own hands, we cannot legally prevent
you, as I have tried to explain this morning to your aunt and Eustace,
but it is all very shocking and unusual, and very disturbing. You must
remember, Count Roumovski is a foreigner, and we English people are
prejudiced. I--fear for your happiness, my dear child!"
"You do not pay me a high compliment, sir," Count Roumovski said, but
without resentment. "Time, however, will prove whether I can take care
of your niece or no. Do you feel any fear for yourself, Stella?"
"Not in the least," Miss Rawson said, and they clasped fond hands. "I
would go away with you, Sasha, to the ends of the earth now at once,
and never ask you a single question. And I should certainly die if I
were forced to go back to Eustace Medlicott."
"Then I suppose there is nothing more to be said," Canon Ebley
stammered, upon which Stella again flung herself into his arms.
"Indeed, sir--I give you my word that you will not regret this
decision," Count Roumovski said gravely. "I believe your niece and I
were made for one another."
"We will hope so," returned Canon Ebley, who could no longer keep up a
stern resistance in the face of perfectly logical arguments and a witch
of a girl purring over him and patting his cheek. He would have given
in with a fair grace but for the awful knowledge that his stern spouse
and the irate late fiance would arrive at any moment, and reproach him
for his want of strength.
At this juncture of the affair, Princess Urazov came forward, and said
with a gracious smile:
"Now I think you and I should agree with each other, sir; I had just as
great cause for surprise as you had at the news of my brother's
engagement to your niece, but I know and love him so well that I did
not question the wisdom of his choice. And as you know and love your
niece, can we not agree to try and make them happy together by giving
them our blessing? After all, it is no crime for two young people to
love each other!" and she put out her hands, which Canon Ebley, who
was, after all, longing for peace, was obliged to take. Then with a
charm and dignity that he was forced to admire, she drew him to the
pair and placed his hand on their clasped hands, and her own over it.
"See," she said, "Sasha and Stella, we both wish you all happiness and
joy--is it not so?"
And Canon Ebley was constrained to murmur, "Yes."
At this instant the door was opened violently, and the Aunt Caroline
followed by the Reverend Eustace Medlicott burst into the room,
brushing aside the frightened waiter, who would have prevented them;
then they stopped dead short, petrified with astonishment, and before
she could prevent herself, Stella had pealed a silvery laugh, while she
rushed forward and affectionately kissed her aunt.
"Dear Aunt Caroline," she said. "Uncle Erasmus understands quite, and
has given us his blessing, so won't you, too?"
But Mrs. Ebley was made of sterner stuff--she was horribly shocked, her
feelings had been bruised in their tenderest parts, the laws of
convention had been ruthlessly broken by her niece, and forgiveness was
not for her.
She drew herself up with disgusted hauteur, while the Rev. Mr.
Medlicott stood there glaring at the party too speechless with
humiliation and pain to utter a word.
"Erasmus," Mrs. Ebley said with scathing contempt. "I do not know how
you have let yourself countenance this disgraceful scene, but I shall
not do so. And if my niece still persists in bringing shame upon us all
I must beg you to conduct me back to our hotel--I wash my hands of her
and shall no longer own her as my sister's child, come."
At this, Stella gave a pitiful little cry and turned tender, beseeching
eyes to her lover, and the sound of her voice touched that chord which
was fine in Eustace Medlicott's heart. He seemed suddenly to see things
as they were, and to realize that love had indeed come to his
betrothed, though not for him, so he rose above the pain this
conviction caused him and let justice have sway.
He strode forward and joined the group.
"You must not say that, Mrs. Ebley," he said, "since your husband seems
satisfied, there must have been some proper explanation made. You
should hear them first. But I, for my part, wish to state now, in the
presence of everyone, that if Miss Rawson can assure me she has made
this choice of her own free will, and because she loves this
gentleman--" here there was a break in the tones--"I can have nothing
further to say and will give her back her freedom and make my retreat."
"Oh, Eustace, thank you," said Stella, gratefully holding out her hand.
"I knew I could eventually count upon your goodness. I do indeed love
Count Roumovski, and why should not we all be happy together? You will
feel with me, I am sure, that our engagement was always a mistake and
now won't you be friends?"
She still held out her timid hand, and Mr. Medlicott took it at last
and wringing it silently turned and drew toward the door, making his
exit.
Silence fell upon the company until he had gone and then Count
Roumovski whispered in his harassed little fiancee's ear:
"Never mind his point of view, darling--yonder goes an English
gentleman, and since I have gained my star and he has lost his, he has
my deepest sympathy."
Then everyone seemed to talk at once, and the Princess Urazov at last
appeared to be in some degree appeasing Mrs. Ebley.
There is very little more to tell of this comedy of a spring holiday in
Rome. It ended with a quiet wedding and two young people going off
together in the blue automobile.
And when Count Roumovski clasped his newly made bride in his arms, he
whispered with a tenderly sly smile:
"At last, sweetheart, there are no barriers, and I can show you that I
am at least not as cold as ice!"
THE END