That night three letters were written to London. One was from Guy
addressed to his sister, and it contained the important question, had
his father anything to do with his appointment to Madrid; in other
words, did he owe his promotion to anything except his own merits?
Mary's reply came back in due course. It was distinctly conciliatory
and diplomatic. But, as Mary was not very adapt at telling a lie, the
truth peeped through. It was evident to Guy that Lord Saxham had
exercised his influence to get his son to Spain, with the view of
separating him from Isobel; Guy felt very bitter towards his father. He
felt it was something in the nature of a dirty trick, diplomatic
perhaps, but none the less of a questionable nature.
Moreno wrote two letters. The first was to Lady Mary Rossett. He had
not even been introduced to that charming young woman, but such an
elementary fact as that did not deter him. He explained who he was, he
recalled the evening at the Savoy. He pointed out that her brother was
in great danger, and that she should use all the influence of her family
to get Guy recalled on some pretext or another. He added that he had
met Guy in Madrid and urged this course upon him, that Guy on scenting
danger, with the stubborn pride of the Englishman, had refused to
abandon his post.
The second letter he sent to the head of the English Secret Service with
a request that it should be shown to Greatorex. The motive of the
second letter was the same as the first, that Guy Rossett should be got
out of harm's way, before an anarchist knife should be dug in his ribs.
Mary took the letter to her father. She was very genuinely alarmed; she
also had a faint recollection of the swarthy young Spaniard who had sat
at an adjoining table on that well-remembered evening at the Savoy. He
had mentioned in his letter that he was a member of the Secret Service.
She was disposed to trust him.
She thrust the letter into Lord Saxham's hand with an almost tragic
gesture.
"Now, father, you can see what you have done by sending him over to
Spain. That wily old Greatorex wanted to use him just for his own
purpose, and you fell in pat with his scheme."
Lord Saxham read the letter, and his face blanched. "Oh, my poor boy,"
he groaned.
His daughter loved him, but at the bottom of her heart there was always
a little good-humoured contempt. He was so terribly weak. Headstrong,
violent, and explosive, but always weak.
Lady Mary spoke irritably; she was tender and compassionate, but not in
the least weak.
"We have got to act, father, and act immediately. Guy must come back at
once. You must see this artful old Greatorex to-morrow."
Saxham promised that he would see Greatorex to-morrow. He 'phoned up
that important personage, and fixed an appointment.
The two men met. By that time Greatorex had received Moreno's letter
from the head of the Secret Service. He knew, therefore, exactly what
his old friend Lord Saxham had come about.
The Earl began in his usual explosive manner. "By God, Greatorex, you
haven't treated me well in this matter. You have sent my poor boy to
his death."
If Lord Saxham had been a less important member of the aristocracy, the
imperturbable Greatorex would have shown him the door. But under the
circumstances forbearance had to be exercised.
"Softly, softly, if you please, my dear Saxham. It was at your request
I sent your son to Spain, to get him out of an unfortunate
entanglement."
"I know, I know," spluttered the Earl, never very great in argument,
"but I didn't know he was going to his death."
"No, more did I," replied Greatorex, speaking with his usual calm. "Now
let us be reasonable and avoid indulging in mutual recriminations which
irritate both parties. What do you want me to do?"
"Recall him at once," thundered Lord Saxham.
"One moment, if you please," said Greatorex quietly. "We have got to
consider Guy's views on this matter. I have here a confidential
communication from a very trusted member of our Secret Service. He has
warned Guy of his danger, put all the possibilities and probabilities
before him, and Guy refuses to budge. In short, he declines to run
away. What have you got to say to that?"
"Then I say he is a most infernal fool," cried Lord Saxham in his most
explosive manner. Greatorex's lip curled a little.
"Perhaps from your point of view. Shall I give you mine?"
"If you like," said Saxham sullenly. He was not so dense that he could
not see what was in the other man's mind.
"He is a very brave young Englishman of the true bulldog breed, who is
going to stick to his post oblivious of the consequences. It is that
breed that makes the British Empire what it is. Do you still want me to
recall him?"
"Yes," spluttered the Earl. "I want him recalled. I don't intend him
to be done to death by a dirty Spanish anarchist."
Greatorex's look was very disdainful.
"I will be on the wires all day with Stonehenge and Guy. If he consents
to be recalled on any pretext, I will recall him. But please understand
me, Saxham; he shall only be recalled with his own consent. I will go
no further."
The tall, lean man stood up, and towered over the somewhat blustering
Lord Saxham.
"You can recall him, whether he consents or not," cried the angry
father, "if you choose."
"In this case I am not going to exercise my prerogative. It is no use
arguing, Saxham. On this point my mind is made up. I will only add
that I greatly admire your son's attitude. If he sticks to this
business, he will have a great career before him."
"Unless he is murdered to-morrow," commented Saxham bitterly, as he
walked out of the room.
The poor old Earl went back to Ticehurst Park in a very agitated frame
of mind. Lady Mary was his favourite child, but Guy was his best
beloved son. Ticehurst would inherit the lands and the title, but for
Ticehurst he had only a very mild liking.
Mary met him in the hall. She was only a little less perturbed than her
father.
"What news?" she cried eagerly. "Have you induced Greatorex to recall
him?"
Lord Saxham had to confess to failure. He went with her into the
morning-room, and related at full length the details of his interview
with Greatorex. That powerful personage was ready to fall in with his
views--but the stumbling-block was Guy himself. If Guy stuck to his
resolution not to seek safety in flight, Greatorex would not move.
Mary's sweet eyes filled with tears. She had already abused Greatorex,
but she was too just not to understand his attitude. At the bottom of
his heart, Greatorex approved of Guy's resolution to stick to his post,
whatever the consequences.
"I am sorry I said harsh things of Greatorex," she said in a broken
voice. "Of course Guy himself could take no other course, and his chief
admires his indomitable spirit. But, all the same, we must move heaven
and earth to get him away."
The Earl sank wearily into a chair. Presently he began to cry and moan.
"Oh, my poor boy. To think I have exposed him to this danger by my
ill-advised action."
Poor Lady Mary was on the verge of hysteria herself, but the senile
grief of the old Earl made her strong and self-reliant. Her brain was
working quickly. Could she not turn this moment to advantage?
"You are sorry for what you have done, father? You recognise that, but
for your unfortunate intervention, Guy would never have gone to Spain."
"I know, I know," replied poor old Lord Saxham in quavering accents. "I
would cut off my right hand if, by doing so, I could undo that morning's
work with Greatorex. I was very proud of it at the time."
Mary spoke very slowly, very calmly. "Guy has got in him the Rossett
obstinacy, and, after all, he is only acting as a brave man should. We
are less brave for him than he is for himself."
The Earl stretched out his shaking hands.
"Mary, will you write and implore him to let Greatorex recall him.
Greatorex has given me his promise to do so, if Guy consents."
Mary shook her head. "Guy is very fond of me, I know. In many things I
could influence him, but not in this. It is no use your writing to him,
you have less influence over him than I. If he would not listen to me,
he will not listen to you."
"Then he is doomed." The poor old Earl's head sank on his breast, and
he surrendered himself to despair.
And now had come Mary's great opportunity, and she took advantage of it.
She was no mean diplomatist at any time.
"I shall not move him, you will not move him. And you say you cannot
move Greatorex. There is just one person in the world who might
persuade him. I am not quite sure even about her."
Lord Saxham was very subdued, very penitent, but there was still some of
the old Adam left in him. He answered quickly; the voice was still
quavering, but there was in it a querulous note.
"You mean that--"