The Weight of the Crown
Page 24
CHAPTER XXIV
AT THE WINDOW
Maxwell turned over the card thoughtfully and studied the neathandwriting thereon.
"We are dealing with one of the cleverest women in Europe," he said."See how wonderfully she recovers her mistakes and picks up the tracksagain. But I don't see that Maxgregor can have anything to do with it.What do you say, doctor?"
"I should say that Maxgregor had a great deal to do with it," Varneyreplied. "If he were not a deadly foe to these people here, there wouldhave been no attempt to shoot him as there was to-night. Do you thinkthat he has been tracked back to his lodgings?"
"I should say not," Jessie put in. "I was very careful about that. Itold you all about the fair woman in the lane, and the way I preventedher from following the General when he went away in the ill-fittingevening dress of the king. But there might have been spies who----"
"I don't think so," Varney interrupted. "Evidently these people havefound out that Maxgregor blocks the way. Depend upon it that the reporthas gone out to the effect that the king has left here--or so CountessSaens thinks. She calculated that Maxgregor is still here, because themessenger is sent to Mazaroff at the house. If they knew that Maxgregorwas lying wounded at his lodgings, they would work at their leisure andthere would have been no occasion to send that letter here."
"Which must not miscarry," Maxwell suggested. "If it does they willnever think that the whole affair is an accident. My idea is thatMazaroff must have that letter and never imagine for a moment that wehave read it. We can see that Maxgregor comes to no harm."
Varney was disposed to regard the suggestion as a good one. But beforedoing anything he would like to discuss the matter with Lechmere.Maxwell's face fell.
"In that case I will stay here till you have finished," he said. "Idon't feel much like facing anybody at present, though I am as innocentof this business as a child."
"What nonsense!" Varney cried. "This is no time to stand on ceremony.Lechmere is a man of the world and a friend of yours. He is not in theleast likely to condemn you until the charge is proved. I appreciateyour feelings, but an empire is at stake."
Without another word the doctor slipped away and returned presently withLechmere. He nodded in his cool, collected way at Maxwell as if nothinghad happened.
"I have no doubt we shall get to the bottom of this business betweenus," he said. "Varney has been telling me what has happened. I am quiteof your opinion, Maxwell, that Mazaroff must have that letter. When hehas read it he shall be watched and followed."
"But how to get it into the fellow's hands without suspicion?" Maxwellasked.
"That is easy enough. I suppose you acted on the spur of the moment, butyou were foolish to tear that envelope open without steaming it.Fortunately the envelope seems to have many counterparts in LordMerehaven's study, and luckily it is a different texture to thecorrespondence card on which the message is written. Amongst my manygifts is a fair talent for copying the handwriting of other people. I'llget this fixed up. When the thing is done one of the guests shall handthe letter to Mazaroff and say that he had picked it up in the garden. Ithink I'll select a lady for the part. Stay here for a moment."
A little later on, and somebody touched Mazaroff's arm as he waswatching a game of bridge in the card room. He turned to see a prettygirl standing by and smiling into his face. She held a letter in herhand.
"I fancy this is for you, Prince Mazaroff," she said. "I picked it up inthe garden. On the whole, I came very near to having an adventure overit."
Mazaroff glanced at the envelope and his eyes gleamed. Then quiteleisurely he tore off the ends and read the message. He smiled in acareless way, as if the message were of no importance.
"I am sorry there was any danger," he said, "especially as the note isso trivial. Where does the adventure come in?"
"You have destroyed my romance," the girl laughed. "I suppose it was themessenger who brought this letter for you, and not a burglar after all.I expect the messenger made a mistake and came into the garden by thedoor leading from the lane. Anyway, a gardener pounced upon him and theman fled. It was quite thrilling to look at, I assure you. When I hadrecovered from my fright I saw that letter on the grass. Then the realsolution of the mystery burst in upon me."
Mazaroff laughed as if he enjoyed the story. His face grew a littlegrave.
"I should not tell anybody if I were you," he said. "It isn't many womenhere who have your pluck. If they know they will fight shy of thegarden, and many a promising flirtation will be spoilt. And flirtationsvery often lead to marriage, you know."
The girl laughed in her turn and flitted away. Lechmere stood by thedoorway awaiting her.
"You did it very well," he said. "You are a born actress, MissCheylesmere. Oh, yes, the joke develops; you shall play your part in it.Now, I want you to keep an eye upon Mazaroff, and if he leaves the houselet me know at once."
Lechmere strolled off, pleased with the way in which events were going,and quite certain that Mazaroff had not the slightest idea what hadhappened. A pretty scheme was evolving itself in his mind. He went backto the study, where the others were awaiting him.
"So far so good," he said. "Mazaroff has received his letter withoutguessing what we know of it. At the present moment he is hunting allover the place for Maxgregor, ignorant of the fact that Maxgregor hasgone long ago. Mazaroff will ask Lady Merehaven if the General has gone,and she will naturally say no, as the General did not wish hergood-night. Mazaroff will be quite certain that Maxgregor would nevercommit such a social slip, so that I confidently hope that he willcontinue his hunt."
"But surely there is a much more important thing to do?" Jessieexclaimed. "Mr. Maxwell, have you forgotten whom we saw in thedrawing-room with Countess Saens just now?"
"I had forgotten," Maxwell admitted. "Miss--er--Harcourt told me thatthe King of Asturia was here. She went on to say that he was not onlyhere, but in such a condition that he would have to stay all night andbe conveyed home in a cab. Why was he shamming?"
"Shamming!" Varney cried. "I'll stake my professional reputation thatthe king was not shamming. He has had some near shaves during the timehe has been under my care, but never has he been nearer to death's doorthan he was to-night. I sincerely believe that it was only theadministration of a very powerful drug that saved him."
"I know, I know," Jessie cried. "I saw a good deal of it myself. When Ileft him the king was unconscious. And yet not half an hour ago I sawhim in the Countess Saens's dining-room."
Varney and Lechmere smiled incredibly. They both shook their heads.
"Impossible!" the former said. "Quite impossible, my dear young lady.For the last hour, or nearly an hour, the King of Asturia has been inthis house clothed and in his right mind. It was I who brought himdownstairs. It was I who produced his majesty to the utter confusion ofMazaroff and Gleikstein, the Russian _charge d'affaires_. You must havebeen utterly mistaken."
"It was no mistake," Maxwell put in. "I have seen the king often enoughhere and elsewhere. I am prepared to swear in any court of justice thatwithin the last half hour I have seen the King of Asturia in closecompanionship with Countess Saens in her own house."
Varney and Lechmere looked a little bewildered. There still appeared tobe cards in the game of which they knew nothing. Varney was about tospeak when Lechmere touched his arm and indicated two figures that hadjust entered the study.
"To prove that you two are mistaken," he said, "look there. If you knowthe King of Asturia so well, perhaps you will tell me who that is?"
"The king," Maxwell cried. "And the queen. And yet I am ready toswear.... You don't think that he might have slipped out and----"
"No, I don't," Lechmere said curtly. "As a matter of fact, his majestyis being too carefully watched for that. He has been here all the time,I assure you."
"It's like a dream," Jessie said. "The king is in two places at once.And seeing that _that_ is the king, who was the man we saw in CountessSaens's dining-room?"