Ughtred slackened his reins about his horse's neck, and turning round,
called to Brand, who was sitting a few yards away making some rapid
sketches. The King's cheeks were flushed with colour, and his eyes
were bright.
"What do you think of that, Brand?" he asked, proudly.
He pointed to where a cloud of dust hung round the last company of
galloping Thetians. The roll of the drums and the shrill music of the
fifes still reached them.
"They are born horsemen, and born soldiers, your Majesty," Brand
answered, with enthusiasm. "I only wish that there were more of them."
Ughtred smiled.
"The mountains are our chief protection," he said, with a little wave
of his arm. "The passes through which men could be poured into Theos
are narrow, and for defensive purposes a small, perfectly-trained army
is sometimes as useful as a large one. I am proud of my army, Brand."
"You have reason," Brand answered. "I am even now trying to make
Europe understand what manner of men these are."
General Dartnoff came galloping up.
"If your Majesty will ride now to Pinter's Pass," he said, "you will
be able to trace the progress of the attack."
The King and Brand rode off together, followed by his small bodyguard.
"Your people have said nothing yet about recalling you?" Ughtred
asked.
"Nothing," Brand answered. "I think that Theos is still being watched
with interest."
"And you yourself?"
Brand looked straight ahead.
"I am content here," he answered. "I shall be sorry to leave."
There was the thunder of hoofs on the turf a short distance away, and
Marie of Reist in a white riding-habit and the military cap of the
Thetian Guards galloped past. Her lithe, superb figure was at its
best--she managed her charger with the easy confidence of a born
horsewoman. Ughtred eyed her thoughtfully.
"There are not many women like that--even in England, Brand," he
remarked.
"Your Majesty is quite right," Brand answered. "The Countess of Reist
is the most beautiful woman whom I have ever seen."
Ughtred smiled and looked down into the valley. They reined in their
horses upon a small knoll.
"I think that I know one who is more beautiful," the King said, in an
undertone. "I heard this morning from our friends, the Van Dechts,
Brand. They are travelling in Italy, and may come on here."
Brand shrugged his shoulders.
"Your Majesty will find their presence welcome?" he asked.
The King looked at him in surprise.
"Surely! They are friends of mine. It would give me great pleasure to
have them here. Why not?"
Brand hesitated.
"I wondered," he said, slowly, "if they might not find their presence
here a little equivocal. Your Majesty is no longer a private
individual, and Mr. and Miss Van Decht, however agreeable in
themselves, are not of the rank which entitles them to a familiar
footing at your Court."
Ughtred looked at his companion in some surprise.
"That speech," he remarked, "might have come from Nicholas of
Reist--from you, my friend, it sounds strangely."
"I admit it," Brand answered. "For myself it is true that I am a
democrat, but then I am only a journalist. I have noticed that the few
nobles who remain in Theos are aristocrats to the backbone. I believe
that you find their principles absolutely rock-bound."
The King frowned. His eyes had rested upon Marie of Reist, sitting
upright in her saddle, and watching eagerly for the development of the
sham fight.
"Well, well," he said, "we shall see! I wish to see the Van Dechts
here, and it is useless to meet trouble halfway. Be so good, Brand, as
to convey my regards to the Countess of Reist, and suggest that she
join us. Our position is better chosen than hers."
Brand cantered over to her side and repeated the message. She rode
with him towards the King.
"You have been much occupied lately, perhaps," she said to Brand. "My
brother tells me that you have been invisible."
"I have been busy," he answered. "Perhaps because of my small share in
events here, I have become wonderfully interested in Theos. I have
been making excursions in all directions. I want to understand many
things which are hard for a stranger to form a right idea of."
She smiled.
"Then why do you not come to me?" she said. "I can tell you very much
about Theos. I can tell you about the country people, and how they
live. Did I not ask you to come, Mr. Brand? You are very ungallant."
He met a glance from her dark eyes, and his pale cheeks were suddenly
flushed.
"You were good enough to say that you would receive me," he answered.
"If I may come, then, I will."
"My brother has shown me in the English papers some of the things
which you have written about Theos," she continued. "I cannot tell you
what pleasure they gave me. It is a wonderful gift, yours, Mr. Brand.
When one reads one seems to see a picture of the whole place. You have
written wonderfully of your adventures here."
"And yet," he said, in a low tone, "the adventure here which was most
interesting to me, which I shall never forget so long as I live, I
have not written about at all. It is for the memory only."
Again their eyes met. He was very bold, this Englishman. Yet though
her eyebrows were slightly raised she did not rebuke him.
"I think, perhaps," she said, "that we had better obey the royal
command."
She touched her horse with the whip, and they galloped up the
hillside. Ughtred watched them closely as they rode up. He made room
for Marie by his side. Brand had perforce to fall behind. They talked
together eagerly of the manoeuvres. The girl was thoroughly well
versed in the situation.
"I believe from the south," she said, "that Theos is unassailable. If
only we had more heavy guns for the passes."
"You have seen the new battery?" Ughtred asked.
She nodded.
"Yes. The Maxims are wonderful."
"I am expecting," he said, "that the donor will be paying us a visit
here soon."
She looked up inquiringly.
"An American was it not?"
"An American and his daughter, Mr. and Miss Van Decht. If they come I
hope that I may count upon you, Countess, to help me make their visit
an enjoyable one."
"I will do all that I can," she answered, coldly. "I have never met
any Americans. They must be wonderful people. In England they are
intermarrying, is it not so, with the aristocracy?"
"There have been many such marriages," Ughtred assented.
"It is the worst of England," she murmured. "A great nation, but
indeed a nation of shopkeepers. Amongst the nobles, the pride of race
seems to have died out. The fear of poverty is to them as the fear of
death. Ah, see."
Through the pass below was a sudden movement. Little puffs of smoke
burst out all over the hillside. General Dartnoff and his staff came
galloping up.
"Your Majesty," he said, saluting, "I shall ask for your
congratulations on behalf of Colonel Bushnieff. The attacking force
have been entrapped into the pass, and are now subject to a terrible
cross-fire. Bushnieff's guns are so placed that every one of them is
effectual. I go to give the award. The defending force have easily
triumphed."
"I will come with you," the King answered.
Brand drew back to let them pass. Marie also lingered. In a moment
they were alone. He turned to her.
"You are coming?" he asked.
"I think not. I am tired. My servants are below. I shall return to
Theos."
Brand hesitated.
"My horse is lame," he remarked.
"I do not wonder at it," she answered. "You have been galloping about
without choosing your way."
"I too am tired," he continued, thoughtfully.
Her lips parted.
"I shall be glad of your escort, Mr. Brand."
They rode slowly across the open country in the waning day. Before
them on the hilltop were the grey towers and the piled-up houses of
Theos, a picturesque medley with their red roofs and white fronts now
fast becoming blurred in the gathering twilight. As they neared the
road a sudden waft of perfume from the lavender-fields beyond filled
the air, and a breath of wind came sweeping through the yellow
corn-fields. Brand, with his hat in his hand, looked thoughtfully
about him.
"I think," he said, "that no man could be born here who would not die
for such a country as this. I believe that I am beginning to
understand what patriotism might be."
Her face lit up in a moment.
"It is beautiful," she said, "to hear you say that. I wish, Mr.
Brand," she added, softly, "that it were your country too. Then we
should be sure of one good patriot."
"I think," he said, "that if trouble came to Theos I should be proud
to reckon myself amongst her sons. I have never seen country people
like yours. I have ridden into the furthest parts, and wherever I have
seen men and women I have heard singing. I have been greeted like a
friend. I have been offered bread and wine before I could even
dismount. How they toil, too. No wonder the soil is fruitful."
"Oh, it is good to hear you talk like this," she cried, with a sudden
little burst of passion. "The love of my country is in my blood--it is
part of me. I could not live if Theos were dishonoured, and lately
there have been so many sorrows. I seem to have found myself
listening, and over the land there has been silence, no longer the
whistling of the men and the singing of women. It has been as though
something terrible has always been about to happen. It is a fancy, of
course. Nicholas laughs at me. It is foolish! But the love of Theos is
more to me than the love of life. I fear for her when for myself I
have no fear. Tell me, Mr. Brand, this seems strange talk to you."
"I know Theos, and I know you," he answered. "I understand."
She did not speak again for some time, but he saw that her eyes were
full of tears, and he kept his face turned from her. When at last they
passed into the city she spoke to him softly.
"I am indeed very foolish," she said, "but just now I am anxious.
Theos seems to have made for herself new enemies. The coming of
Ughtred of Tyrnaus has provoked Russia, and it is the one country
which I fear most. You will come and see me soon, Mr. Brand?"
He bowed over the hand which she held half-shyly out. It was not a
form of greeting in which she often indulged.
"I will surely come," he answered.
He left her at the Reist house and rode slowly towards his own
quarters. Already the streets were lined with people awaiting the
return of the King and the troops. Torches were waved hither and
thither. In the open space in front of the palace a huge bonfire had
been lit. Everywhere was the pleasant murmur of cheerful voices.
Further down the street they were singing in a low rhythmical chant
the National Anthem. Now the King was in sight, and a roar of voices
welcomed him. The front of the palace blazed out in a fire of
illuminations, a shower of rockets shrieked upwards from the park. The
King was coming. Long live the King!