CHAPTER XXI
"FOREWARNED, FOREARMED"
Gleikstein looked as utterly puzzled as his companion. They glanced atone another in a guilty kind of way. Evidently the allusion to the HotelPetersburg mentioned by Lechmere conjured up some painful and none toocreditable associations.
"There was only one other man present, and he has totally disappeared,"said Gleikstein. "Now how did that man come to know all about it? Onenever seems quite to get away from the past."
Somebody attracted Gleikstein's attention, and Mazaroff wandered offinto the garden. He was uneasy and disturbed in his mind, and anxiousover the failure of his plot. It seemed as if the whole affair waslittle better than an open secret. As an agent of Russia, he was anxiousto see the abdication of the throne by the King of Asturia. Asturia wasa stumbling-block south in the path of Russian progress. Once the kinghad abdicated or been forced from his throne by a revolution, Russiawould certainly step in under the plea of the maintenance of peace in anotoriously turbulent region. They might concede to European opinion byplacing a puppet on the throne, but henceforth Asturia would be nobetter or worse than a Russian province. If this was accomplished, thenMazaroff netted a fortune. Only to-day it had seemed in his grasp.
And with the swiftness of a lightning flash, everything had changed. Thepuppet had been torn from Mazaroff's hands; those compromising papershad vanished from Countess Saens's drawer. At the present moment LordMerehaven was in a position to shrug his shoulders, and say that thosesuspicions must be verified before he was prepared to admit anything. Itwas a comedy on both sides, but it remained a comedy so long as thosepapers were not forthcoming.
Mazaroff was brought back out of the grave of these gloomy reflectionsby a footman who tendered him a note. There was no answer, the servantsaid, he had merely had to deliver the letter to Prince Mazaroff. With anew interest in life, Mazaroff recognized the Countess Saens's neatwriting. He read the letter slowly and thoughtfully, then tearing it insmall pieces he dropped the fragments into the heart of a laurel bush. Aslow, cruel smile spread over his dark face.
"So that is the game," he muttered. "Strange that I did not spot itbefore. Still, the marvellous likeness would have deceived anybody. Themaid was not far wrong after all. Well, at any rate, I shall have somesport out of this. Who knows what it may lead to?"
Quite eagerly Mazaroff dropped his cigarette and returned to the house.He walked from one room to the other as if looking for somebody. He wasin search of Miss Galloway, he said. Had anybody see her lately? He hadan important message to deliver to her from Countess Saens. The cry wastaken up--it became generally known that Vera Galloway was sought after.
One had seen her here and one had seen her there, but nobody knewanything definite. The more difficult the search became, the more PrinceMazaroff appeared to be pleased. The quest came to the ears of Dr.Varney at length. He dropped the ever-pleasant conversation in which hewas indulging with a famous lady novelist and became alert instantly.
"I fancy I can find her," he said. "Who seeks her so closely at thistime of night?"
"Prince Mazaroff," a girl laughed as she passed by. "Is it a proposal,do you think, doctor? Fancy being proposed to by a real prince!"
But Varney was anxious behind his answering smile. His name had not beenmentioned in the business at all. He was quite free to cross-examineMazaroff without the latter being in the least suspicious. And Varneyhad a pretty shrewd idea that Mazaroff regarded him as an elderly oldfossil who had a child's mind outside the regions of science. Hepottered up to the Russian presently.
"What are you seeking?" he asked. "Is there anything that I can do foryou?"
"Yes; I am looking for Miss Galloway," Mazaroff said, with a gleam inhis eye that told Varney a great deal more than the speaker imagined. "Ihave an important message for her."
"Well, tell me what it is and I will deliver it," Varney said with avacuous smile. "As the family physician there are no secrets from me.Who seeks Miss Galloway?"
"Tell her the Countess Saens," Mazaroff said. "I fancy she willunderstand that. I have just had a letter----"
But Varney had wandered off as if the conversation did not in the leastinterest him. As a matter of fact, he was both startled and uneasy.Mazaroff had been too communicative in the hour of his supposedtriumph, and he had told Varney everything. Mazaroff had had a letterfrom the countess, and the countess had guessed, on finding her preciouspapers missing, exactly what had happened. On making inquiries, CountessSaens had discovered that there was a double of Miss Galloway somewhere,and she had asked Mazaroff to make sure of the fact. And Mazaroff wasthe very man who was wholly responsible for the appearance of JessieHarcourt at Merehaven House. But for his flagrant insult of the girl shewould not have been here at all. There was danger in the air.
And the danger was not lessened by the fact that Jessie had notreturned. People presently would begin to think it strange that MissGalloway was not to be found. And if those two came face to face--Jessieand Mazaroff--what an explosion there would be!
Well, forewarned was forearmed, Varney told himself as he walked back tothe house. Jessie would be back before long, and then the whole thingmust come out. But Jessie had done good work, not only on behalf of hernew friend Vera Galloway, but also on behalf of England and the peace ofEurope. This pretty, resolute, sharp girl had suddenly become animportant piece in the great game of diplomatic chess. If necessary,Merehaven must be told everything. He must be shown the absoluteimportance of checking Mazaroff and rendering his last stroke utterlyfutile. When Merehaven came to know what had happened, he would becompelled to stand by the side of Jessie Harcourt. It would have to be astrong game of bluff, Varney decided. Merehaven would be properlyindignant when the confession came; he would refuse to believe that hisniece could be party to anything of the kind. Jessie could come intothe room if Mazaroff decided to make an exposure, and sit with becomingdignity. She would decline to listen to the Russian's preposteroussuggestion, and with all the dignity at his command Merehaven would backthe girl up. Varney began to chuckle to himself as he thought ofMazaroff's discomfiture.
But whilst Mazaroff was hunting round for the double of Miss Galloway,never dreaming that she also had left the house, Merehaven must bewarned. It was a difficult matter to detach the old diplomat from thecircle surrounding him, but Varney succeeded at length.
"Now what is the matter?" Merehaven said tartly. "Another surprise?Really, I seem to be living in an atmosphere of them to-night, and I amgetting too old for these shocks. What is the matter?"
"A great deal, or I would not bother you in this way?" Varney said."Make an excuse to get away for a few minutes and go to your study. Itis absolutely imperative that I should have a word or two with youbefore you speak to Mazaroff again."
Merehaven complied with a sigh for his lost social evening. He went offin the direction of his study, but Varney did not follow him direct. Onthe contrary, he lounged into the garden intending to enter the study bythe window, which he knew to be open. By the time he reached the gardenhe had a full view of Merehaven bending over his writing table as ifdispatching a note. At the same instant a figure rose from behind agroup of rose trees and confronted Varney. As her black wrap fell awayhe had no difficulty in recognizing the features of Jessie Harcourt.
"I am back again, you see," she said breathlessly. "It is such wonderfulgood fortune to meet you here so soon, and where we can speak at once.Dr. Varney, have I missed anything? Is there anything that you have totell me? Have _I_ been missed? Nothing has happened since I left?"
"Not till the last moment," Varney said. "My dear child, positively Ican't stay a moment to tell you. It is imperative that I should have afew words with Lord Merehaven at once, before Prince Mazaroff can get tohim. Stay here under the shadow of the house; keep your wrap over yourhead. Nobody is likely to come out again to-night. And please to listento everything that is going to be said, because the conversation willgive you the clue that I cannot stay to afford you now. Ah!"
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Varney darted forward until he reached the window of the library, andthen he stumbled into the room as if he had found his way there quite byaccident. At the same moment Mazaroff entered from the hall. His facewas pale, his eyes glittered with something of sneering triumph. Headvanced to the writing table and laid a hand on Lord Merehaven'sshoulders.
"May I ask your lordship's attention for a moment?" he said. "I havesomething important and, I am afraid, very painful to say to you."
Jessie strained her ears to listen.
The Weight of the Crown Page 21