"In the meantime, however, I shall send that infernal woman packing
over the border by the quickest route," he said vehemently.
"I trust not, Sire," I said. "As Governor of Dornlitz, I gave orders,
this morning, that she be not permitted to leave the Capital."
"But, she's an American subject!" he exclaimed. "She can't be held
prisoner."
"If she's my wife, she's a subject of Your Majesty."
"True! But why do you want to keep her here?"
"To give time to investigate her doings since I became an Archduke," I
said. "I may not marry Dehra in the face of that certificate and old
Henry's Decree; and, since the Alderman is dead, only through Madeline
Spencer herself can the falsity of her claim be shown. Every moment
here she must act her part and be under our constant surveillance.
Sometime, she is sure to make a slip or forget her lines. But, let her
be at large and, with plenty of funds at her command, she will be a
will-o-the-wisp, to be followed over the world for years--and her slips
will be few and very far between, and with no one there to note them."
"Very good," said Frederick; "keep her or send her, as you see
fit--only, don't embroil me with America, if you can avoid it."
"There is no danger," I assured him. "Courtney says he will not
interfere, so long as she claims to be my wife."
Frederick laughed. "Courtney's a friend," he said heartily.
"None better lives," I replied.
He lit a fresh cigar and studied the coal, a bit.
"I wish you would tell me," he said, "whether you have any evidence
connecting Lotzen with this matter."
"Not a scrap nor a syllable," I answered promptly.
"Has he ever exhibited any ill will toward you?"
"None, whatever. On the contrary, he has been uniformly courteous and
considerate--and I have told you of his action, last night, at the
supper."
"All of which is just what he would do if he were guilty," was the
answer. "No, no, Armand; your refusal to implicate Lotzen does you
credit, but this attack on you comes at such an opportune moment, for
him, that he may not escape the suspicion which it breeds. I don't
want to believe him guilty, yet----" and he raised his hands
expressively.
Then the portières parted and the Princess stood in the doorway.
Frederick saw her.
"Come in, Your Highness," he said.
She crossed to him and patted his cheek.
"Have you been nice to Armand?" she asked.
"He seemed to think so. I told him he might have you."
"You dear old father!" she exclaimed; and slipping to his knee, she
gave him a long hug.
"Hold on, daughter; there are two conditions," he said. "One is that
you order Armand about, now, instead of your Father."
"Oh, don't worry about me, Sire," said she, "I'm quite able to order
you both."
"There's not a grain of doubt of that. But, you would better hold off
on Armand until you have him safely tied up; he may rue bargain."
"I fancy I can wait that very short time," she laughed, looking at me.
"But, maybe, it won't be a very short time," the King remarked.
She tossed her head.
"It's the woman's privilege to fix the day."
"Which brings me to the second condition," said he; "that, until the
present wife, which some one seems to have provided for Armand, has
been eliminated, not only may there be no marriage, but the betrothal,
itself, must remain a secret with us three."
"But she's not his wife!" Dehra exclaimed.
"No," said the King, "she is not his wife. If I thought she were,
there would be no betrothal."
Dehra's small foot began to tap the floor.
"I have told Armand I don't care a rap for that woman," she answered.
"And if, as Your Majesty admits, she is not his wife, why should she be
permitted to control the situation to her own liking?"
The King looked at me with an amused smile.
"There, sir," said he, "you see what an unreasonable little woman
you're seeking to marry."