CHAPTER XL
THIN ICE
With all her loyalty and determination in the interests of her newfriend, Jessie could not repress a sigh of relief once Vera Galloway wassafe in the shelter of the queen's hotel. After all said and done, theevents of the previous night had been exceedingly trying, and Jessie wasfeeling in need of a rest. Vera Galloway did not fail to notice this.
"It is impossible for me to properly thank you," she said in a voicethat was very unsteady. "What I should have done without you, goodnessknows. By this time the man I love would have been ruined. CharlieMaxwell would never have been able to hold up his head again. Oh, ifonly I had not lost the papers!"
"They will be found," Jessie said. "I feel quite sure that they will befound and you will regain possession of them. At any rate the countessis powerless for present evil. Everything is against her."
The queen came into the room at the same moment. She was kindness itselfto Vera, though her face had its sternest expression. She held in herhand a copy of the _Mercury_. She had been reading the sensationalinterview carefully. Never had there been a more daring or outrageousplot. And thanks to the courage and promptitude of Lechmere it hadfailed.
"This thing is infamous, daring to a degree," the queen said. "Butfortunately the _Herald_ comes to our aid. And the king is already onhis way to Asturia. It is only the matter of those papers.... Vera, Isuppose I must forgive you for the trick you played on me."
"It was in a good cause," Vera smiled faintly. "You see, there werecomplicating interests. And yet they were absolutely identical. I wantedto save Charlie and you at the same time and but for a most distressingand unforeseen accident I should have done so. But what a perfectsubstitute I left behind me! Could any other girl possibly have behavedlike Jessie Harcourt?"
The queen forgot her anger and distress for a moment. A little timelater and Jessie was walking to her lodgings, her ears tingling withpride and pleasure. She was never going to want a friend again, the waywas rosy before her for the future. Ada's pale anxious face brightenedand her eyes filled with tears as Jessie came in. It had been an anxioustime for Ada.
"You look so strong and happy and yet so tired," she said. "Sit down inthe armchair and tell me everything. There is something about you thatsuggests adventure. But you have not failed."
No, Jessie had not failed, she explained. She told Ada everything frombeginning to end; she had to answer a thousand eager questions. When shementioned the name of Ronald Hope Ada smiled demurely. That was the bestnews of it all.
"I am glad you and Ronald have met again," Ada said quietly. "We oughtnever to have left the old home without writing to him. It has been onmy mind to do so frequently, but I thought perhaps that you would notlike it, Jessie. Now you are going to sit there and rest whilst I runout and get some paints for those Christmas cards. I have been somiserably anxious about you that I dared not go out before. The walkwill freshen me up."
Jessie nodded lazily. A delicious sense of fatigue stole over her. Hereyes closed and she fell into a half sleep. When she came to herselfagain Ronald was bending over her. Her face flushed as he stooped downand pressed his lips to hers. Perhaps she had been more guarded had shenot been taken by surprise, for she returned the pressure.
"That was not fair," she said with a trembling smile. "You caught meunawares, Ronald."
Ronald coolly took a seat close to Jessie's side. He took her hand inhis and it was not withdrawn.
"It isn't as if you didn't love me," he said. "You know perfectly wellthat we always cared for one another. And you would not have kissed meif you had not loved me, Jess. Why you disappeared in that strangemanner I never could understand. What difference did the fact make thatyour poor father had left you penniless? I knew that he was a poor manand that I had nothing to expect but your dear self, and you were quiteaware of it. Then when I go to India you disappear and I don't hear anymore of you till rumours reach me of the goddess in Bond Street. Jess,you are never going to run away from me again?"
"It does not seem so," Jessie said demurely, "especially if you hold myhand and my waist as tightly as you are holding them at the presenttime. But seriously, Ronald----"
"That's the way to talk, seriously! Seriously, my darling Jess, don'tyou love me?"
"I love you with my whole heart and soul, Ronald," Jessie whispered. "Inever realised how much I loved you till we came to be parted and Ithought that I had lost you for ever. This time yesterday I was one ofthe most miserable girls in England, now I am one of the happiest."
"And you are going to marry me right away, dearest?" Hope whispered. "Aquiet wedding."
"Presently," Jessie smiled. "Not so fast, if you please. I have my newfriends to think of. I can't forget that but for them I might never haveseen you again, Ronald. Till that business is finished I am not a freeagent. Even at the present moment I am in danger of being arrested on acharge of stealing some papers from the residence of Countess Saens."
"But, my dear girl, you never so much as saw those confounded papers."
"That does not make the slightest difference. The papers were stolenfrom the residence of Countess Saens by a young girl answering to mydescription and dressed exactly as I am dressed at the present moment.If I was confronted now with the Countess's maid Annette she wouldidentify me as the thief."
"The real thief being Miss Vera Galloway all the time, Jessie."
"Of course she is. But could I say so? Could I in my own defence go intothe witness box and tell the story of my bold impersonation of VeraGalloway so that she could be free to regain those papers? Why, by sodoing we admit the existence of the papers that we deny existence to atall. If any scandal arises over them, I shall have to bear it alone.Vera Galloway's share must not even be suggested. It must be assumedthat I traded on my marvellous resemblance to Vera to obtain certainthings from the countess."
"But this is monstrous," cried Ronald. "If it came to a matter ofimprisonment----"
"I should go through with it if it did," Jessie declared quietly. "Atleast I should do so until it was safe to have the truth out. CountessSaens is a bitter foe when----"
"Who can do you no harm," said Ronald. "At present she is on her way toParis. She has been lured there by a dexterous trick to keep her out ofthe way."
"But she might have put the matter in the hands of the police before sheleft?"
"Perhaps so. I had not thought of that, Jessie. It behoves you to becareful. If any attempt was made to arrest you, but I dare not think ofit. If danger threatens, go back to the queen. She can help you ifanybody can. Hullo, here is Ada."
Ada's reception of the visitor was flattering enough. She was delightedto see Ronald again, she was almost tearfully glad to find that Ronaldand Jessie had come to an understanding. But all the same she confessedthat she was frightened. A man had accosted her on her way home with anenquiry as to the spot where Miss Jessie Harcourt lived. He had a parcelin his hand and came from the shop of Madame Malmaison. It appeared thatJessie had left some of her possessions behind and the messenger wasanxious to deliver it.
"And I don't believe that he was a messenger at all," Ada saidbreathlessly. "He was far too prim and dark. He gave me an impression ofScotland Yard. Of course I pretended to know nothing, but I wasfrightened. Go and see what you think, Ronald. He is in Seymour Street;he has a box under his arm."
Ronald departed hastily. He came back a little time later with a grimface and an uneasy air.
"I am afraid that Ada is right," he said. "The fellow has police forcewritten all over him. I suppose the police are following up theenquiries they made last night. You must go back to the queen withoutdelay, Jess. I fancy I have managed it. I see that there is a way out ofthese block of rooms in Dean Street. Go down there and stand in thedoorway. Presently I shall pull up with a cab just for a second and youare to jump in. Don't lose any time. If you are arrested many questionswill be asked, if you can tide over the next day you may escapealtogether. I'll see what Lechmere can do."
; Hope bustled away and a little time later Jessie crept down the stonestairs leading to Dean Street. She had not long to wait there, forpresently a cab drove up and Ronald looked anxiously out. Like a flashJessie was across the pavement and into the cab.
"Saved this time," Ronald muttered. "I shall leave you in Piccadilly togo back alone. Glad to see that you took the precaution to veil yourfeatures. After I have left you I'll go as far as Lechmere's rooms. Idaresay we can beat those people yet."
The Weight of the Crown Page 40