THE COUNTESS RETURNS
Lechmere bought a paper and read the paragraph for himself. It seemed
strange that this thing should happen at a time when everybody was
talking of Asturia and its rulers. First there was the sensational
interview in the _Mercury_ to set all tongues talking and then, almost
before the public had grasped what had happened, the _Herald_ came out
with a flat contradiction and a dignified statement to the effect that
the _Mercury_ had been hoaxed by an impudent practical joker.
Here was an excellent chance for the evening papers and they did their
best to make a good thing of it. But the more things came to be
investigated the firmer became the position of the _Herald_. Beyond all
doubt the real king had been safe at Merehaven House at the very time
when his deputy was closeted with the editor of the _Mercury_.
And now this had come on the top of it all. There was no reason to doubt
that the veritable ruler of Asturia had met with an accident, seeing
that the _Herald_ had proclaimed the fact that he was already on his way
to his kingdom. Lechmere shook his head as he read.
"Is this foul play or another link in the amazing chain?" Jessie asked.
"I should say foul play," Lechmere replied. "We have a most dangerous
foe to contend with. And at any hazards the king must be kept from
reaching his capital just now. I should not wonder if the special train
had been deliberately wrecked----"
"It makes one's heart bleed for the queen," Jessie murmured. "If she
comes successfully out of this."
"She won't," said Lechmere curtly. "She is only Asturian by marriage,
and the people had never really cared for her, devoted as she is to
their interests. They want to get rid of the king. If he abdicates, then
Russia comes in. If he were killed at this moment, Russia would still
come in. But given a few days longer and Prince Alix will be in Asturia.
This is the man the populace want. If they can once proclaim him, Russia
is checkmated. You see how things stand?"
"It would break the heart of the queen," Jessie said.
"I think not. She would worry for a time, but her position is
intolerable. The present king's life hangs on a thread, the next plunge
into dissipation may kill him. And then Asturia would know the queen no
longer. She would marry Maxgregor, who worships the ground she walks on,
and for the first time in her life would taste real happiness. And now I
shall leave you. It is necessary that I should see Prince Peretori at
once."
And Lechmere hastened away in pursuit of the Prince. They missed one
another by a few minutes but they met at length. Needless to say,
Peretori had heard the news.
"You can see exactly what has happened," the latter said. "Countess
Saens has gone off in a great hurry to see if she could prevent the king
from reaching Asturia. If he reaches his capital what will happen will
be this--he will be invited at once to attend a conference and place
himself freely and unreservedly in the hands of his ministers. They will
ask him to proclaim his abdication in favour of Prince Alix."
"I see," Lechmere said thoughtfully. "That knocks Russia out. But if the
king does not get there at all?"
Peretori chuckled as if something amused him.
"The king is going to get there," he said. "He will be rather damaged by
his accident, but he will get there all the same. I'll see to that."
"If you have some scheme in your mind, I should like to know what it
is," Lechmere said.
"Not at present, my dear fellow. I did a very foolish thing last night
and I am anxious to try and wipe it out. I calculate that I can arrive
on the scene of the accident by dark to-night, by using a despatch boat
which Lord Merehaven has placed at my disposal. I am going alone and I
am going to disguise myself. I may send you a telegram this evening, if
I do, hold yourself in readiness to follow me. So far as my cousin and
his consort are concerned, Asturia is dead. But it is not going to fall
into the lap of Russia all the same."
Nothing that Lechmere could say served to break Peretori's obstinate
silence. He had a plan of his own and he was going to carry it out if
necessary.
"Go and see the queen," he urged, "go and see Maxgregor. Unless I am
greatly mistaken in the character of the queen, she is pretty certain to
follow Erno. If she does she is equally certain to make a mess of it.
She must not go, and Maxgregor must prevent it. Put Maxgregor in a cab
if it is possible to move him, and see that he keeps the queen here.
Tell Maxgregor that I am going to put the third scheme into operation."
"You have seen Maxgregor to-day?" Lechmere asked in some surprise.
"Yes, I saw him early to-day and talked matters over. He abused me in
the most shameful manner, but I had to put up with it. Good bye."
Peretori jumped into a passing hansom and was whirled away, leaving
Lechmere to his own thoughts. But Peretori's advice was singularly sound
from that usually feather-headed individual, and Lechmere decided to go
as far as Maxgregor's at once. Maxgregor was sitting up in bed
impatiently fuming over an evening paper which lay propped up before
him.
"This is a nice mess," he exclaimed. "Of course that special train was
wrecked deliberately. Not that it very much matters, seeing that
Peretori--but perhaps you have not seen him? You have? Good! Did he send
any kind of message to me?"
"Yes," Lechmere replied. "He said that he was going to put the third
programme into execution."
Maxgregor chuckled and his dark angry face relaxed. He managed to crawl
out of bed, but he was still very weak and staggering. He dressed with
Lechmere's assistance.
"Call a cab and take me as far as the queen's hotel," he said. "I must
see her majesty alone. It is important that she keeps quiet at this
junction. She must be persuaded to drive about and show herself just as
if nothing had happened."
But there was nothing quiet about the queen as the two arrived at the
hotel. She was pacing up and down the morning room, despite Vera
Galloway's efforts to soothe her. The girl lay on a couch, for her ankle
was still giving her a deal of pain.
"So you have managed to come to me, brave heart," the queen cried, as
she held out both hands to Maxgregor. "What should I do without your
devoted courage? Are you well enough to accompany me across the Channel.
I am going at once."
"You are going to do nothing of the kind, madame," Maxgregor said
sternly. "The thing is already in the most capable hands. May I beg a
few words in private with you?"
The queen led the way into an inner room. Vera turned eagerly to
Lechmere. Her face was pale and her eyes were heavy with the tears that
she was too proud to let fall.
"Is there anything fresh to tell me?" she demanded eagerly. "I did not
care to mention my private grief before the queen, who has been so good
to me. But Charles Maxwell was in that train also. If there has been a
bad accident, if it is to be called an accident----"
"It was no accident," Lechmere said grimly. "The thing was done
deliberately. And we dare not make too many enquiries because it may
arouse suspicion. Try and fix your mind on something else. It is just as
imperative now as it was yesterday to regain possession of those papers
you risked so much to get."
"If we could only find them," Vera sighed. "If we only knew into whose
hands they had fallen!"
"Well, as a matter of fact we do know that," Lechmere said coolly. "Also
we know exactly where they are. And I am going to try and obtain
possession of them this very day. The mere fact of those papers coming
back into our hands would go far to free Maxwell from suspicion. You
follow me?"
It was quite plain that Vera followed. As much of recent events as he
dared Lechmere told her. He would be back in a little time, he said, but
meanwhile he was going as far as the house of Countess Saens with the
object of having another talk with Annette.
Lechmere's mind was perfectly well occupied as he walked along. He had
nearly reached his destination when a cab pulled up before the residence
of the Countess of Saens. A tall graceful figure carefully cloaked and
veiled stepped out and darted for the house without paying the cabman.
Evidently the graceful figure had taken alarm at somebody in the road.
"By Jove, it's me," Lechmere muttered. "And that was the countess, for a
million. Now what brings her back in a break-neck hurry like this?"