You will terminate your engagement at the Crown this evening.
Proceed to London to-morrow, where you will find rooms taken
for you at the Mayfair Hotel. Accept any offer you may receive
of a lift to London, individually or collectively.
I showed Leonard the note, and hurried away to the manager's office. He
made no difficulty about letting us go; in fact, I gathered that half
the residents in the hotel were hurrying away by motor car, fearing a
general confiscation of petrol. He detained me just as I was leaving the
room.
"Queer affair, that attempted robbery, Mr. Lister," he remarked.
"Extraordinary," I agreed.
"I notice you people seem quite friendly with Mr. Kinlosti," he
continued. "Do you know if it is true that he is related to the late
Tsar?"
"I have no idea," I answered. "All that he has told us is that he was a
member of the household."
"He may be a nobleman, and I dare say he is," the manager went on, a
little nervously, "but I don't care about people at my hotel with a
savage manservant like his and half a million pounds' worth of jewels.
Bath isn't the place for that sort of thing. My clients like a quiet
life."
"No doubt," I answered. "Anyhow, he's leaving to-morrow."
"Prince or no prince, I am glad to hear it," was the heartfelt reply.
"People ought to deposit valuables like that in a bank. They're simply
asking for trouble when they cart them about the country. It's a thing
I've very seldom done to a client, but I told Mr. Kinlosti this evening
that I should be glad for him to leave as soon as convenient."
I went back to the corner where I had left Rose. My disquietude
increased as I approached. Both she and her companion were quite
unconscious of my coming. Kinlosti was leaning forward, talking
earnestly, and Rose was listening with a queer and unfamiliar look in
her eyes. Leonard suddenly gripped me by the arm and led me a little
distance away.
"Maurice," he confided, "that fellow Kinlosti is making love to her."
"If I thought so!" I muttered, clenching my fists.
"But she's letting him," Leonard groaned. "What the mischief can we do?
We've no hold over her. Owing to that silly bargain we made, she doesn't
dream that either of us care a snap of the fingers about her, except as
a little pal and a partner. It's all clear sailing for that unwholesome
brute."
My anger died away, but a very solid determination was there in its
place.
"Leonard," I said, "we aren't going to leave her, and whatever happens,
we'll know more about that fellow before many days have passed."
I retraced my steps then and went up to them. There was certainly a
change in Rose's face. Kinlosti looked up at me a little impatiently.
"Is it late?" he asked. "I am leaving to-morrow, and I am anxious to
have a few minutes' more conversation with Miss Mindel."
"As it happens, we are leaving ourselves," I replied. "I thought perhaps
that Miss Mindel would like to know."
"What, to-morrow?" she exclaimed.
"I have received a message," I told her.
She sprang up and drew me to one side, with a little nod to Kinlosti
which seemed to promise a swift return. I showed her the typewritten
sheet.
"Maurice," she whispered, "Mr. Kinlosti has already been begging me to
accept a seat in his car to London to-morrow."
"Indeed!" I answered coldly.
"Of course, I never had any idea of leaving you two," she went on, "but
now--well, you see what our instructions are."
"Damn our instructions!" I muttered, losing control of myself for a
moment. "Rose, you're not falling in love with that fellow?"
"Don't be foolish, please," she answered, "and don't call him a fellow."
"I'll call him a scoundrel if he behaves like one," I retorted.
She looked at me queerly for a moment. I thought that she was going to
be angry, but she answered me without any signs of ill-feeling.
"You and Leonard are both very kind in looking after me," she admitted,
"but after all I am quite able, when it is necessary, to make up my mind
for myself on things that concern me personally."
"You're not going up to London alone with Kinlosti," I said doggedly.
She swung around and rejoined him before I could reply. Leonard and I
went and fetched our coats and hats. A little ostentatiously we laid her
fur coat upon the top of the piano and waited. In a moment or two she
got up and came over towards us, Kinlosti by her side. He turned
courteously to me.
"Miss Mindel reminds me that you also are leaving Bath to-morrow. I have
two seats in my car, one of which I have offered to Miss Mindel. If the
other is of any service to you, I shall be delighted."