"IF he felt that you were behind me, the warden would seek to withstand the orders I'm going to give. I mean, they're pretty serious ... And so I must leave you right out— for this night only, my dear. Tomorrow— this afternoon you'll stand on another footing, for everyone in the castle will know I'm to be your wife."
I could not answer her, but I put my arms about her and kissed her lips.
For a moment we clung together. Then she drew back, flushed and smiling, leaving her hands in mine.
So we stood for another moment, looking into each other's eyes.
I think I never found her more lovely, for, with all her pride of beauty, she looked just a little shy. And she looked so glad to be shy ... And never before had I seen such stars in her eyes.
And then— the stars faded, and the light in her face went out.
The lips I had kissed were moving, but no words came—and her little hands were trembling, and the blood was out of her face.
She was looking over my shoulder— not so much with horror as dully, as though the battle were hopeless and she were tired.
As I let her go and swung round:
"Don't move, Mr. Spencer," said Pharaoh. "The triggers they give these things are absurdly light."
"This thing" was an automatic pistol, pointing in my direction, about six paces away.
Chapter 14
I CONFESS that I was dumbfounded, and several seconds went by before I could find my tongue.
Then:
"That's so much bluff," said I. "This isn't the forester's cottage. If you fire on me here—"
"I most frankly admit," said Pharaoh, "that the feelings with which I should kill you would be extremely mixed. To be still more frank, I don't want you to force my hand. Not that I value your life. In fact, you're rather a nuisance. But if I were to— er— abate you, I should probably have to withdraw— and that wouldn't suit my book. But for you to take any action would suit my book even less. And so, if you move, I shall fire. I'm sure Lady Helena favours my point of view."
"Yes," said Helena quietly. "I see your point. Don't move, John, I beg you. He means what he says."
"He does indeed," said Pharaoh. "Stand perfectly still."
He covered the distance between us. Then he raised the pistol and placed the mouth of its barrel directly between my eyebrows against my skin. So he stood still for a moment, while a look of demoniac hatred ravaged his face. Then his hand went into my pocket and took my pistol out.
As he stepped back:
"Melodrama," said Helena.
The slightest tinge of colour came into Pharaoh's face. Then he shrugged his shoulders and laughed.
"Perhaps you're right," he said. "After the love scene, the strong stuff."
With his words a knock fell upon the door.
"Ah," said Pharaoh. "The trusty warden, no doubt. 'With his white hair unbonneted, the stout old sheriff comes; behind him march the halberdiers ...' I think you were going to tell him something, Lady Helena. Well, do have him in. But perhaps I ought to remind you that Mr. Spencer's life will depend upon what you say."
The pistols slid into his pockets; but though he withdrew his left hand, his right hand stayed where it was.
Again the warden knocked, and Helena raised her voice and cried to him to come in.
The warden entered the room.
As his eyes lit upon Pharaoh, he started, as though in surprise; then he closed the door behind him and turned to where Helena stood.
My lady moistened her lips.
"I'm not at all satisfied, Florin, with the watch that is being kept. Here's Captain Faning returned, but he was never challenged or—"
"I found a postern open," said Pharaoh. "To save the porter trouble, I entered by that."
"He should have been seen," said Helena, "crossing the bridge."
The warden looked greatly concerned.
"There is something amiss, my lady— I know not what. I will swear that Hubert is faithful, and Piers, who is watchman tonight, is a man of his word. Yet, as I tell them, they might have no eyes nor ears."
"There is something amiss," said Helena. "Double the watchmen, Florin, and stop all leave. Two porters are to stay in the lodge and to keep a list of all persons that use the bridge. No postern is to be opened without permission from me. Why were the servants abed when I came in?"
"By his lordship's orders, my lady."
"Those orders are cancelled— until his lordship returns. And now rouse his lordship's valet and let him prepare the room in the eastern tower the room above mine. Mr. Spencer will sleep there tonight. And rouse Rachel, as well. She will make my room ready and wait till I come. One thing more." she drew out her master key. "Here is my key, Florin. You may as well keep it for me until I need it again."
The warden bowed and took it.
"Will your ladyship speak to the men?"
"Not tonight. I've changed my mind. But please see that they do their duty. I've a definite feeling of danger— very pressing danger, Florin; so please beware."
"Rest assured, my lady, nothing that I can do shall be left undone."
Helena smiled and nodded, and the warden bowed low. Then he bowed to me, but not Pharaoh, and left the room.
There was a moment's silence. Then: "I congratulate you," said Pharaoh, "upon your quickness of wit. I had to give you some rope, and you used it all."
Helena took her seat in a high backed chair.
"I rather fancy," she said, "you'd have done the same."
"I don't know that I should have," said Pharaoh, wrinkling his brow. "I believe in a margin of safety ... Now, why do you think the warden ignored me when he went out?"
Helena shrugged her shoulders.
"Perhaps you don't command his respect."
Pharaoh fingered his chin.
"Dewdrop," he said quietly.
One of the curtains swayed, and Dewdrop stepped out.
"Concentrate on that warden, Dewdrop. You heard what her ladyship said. If he seems to be getting ideas, you must act for the best. The situation is delicate, Dewdrop, for what are we among so many? And now cover Mr. Spencer. I want to talk."
As Dewdrop moved towards me, he took his seat on a sofa and crossed his legs.
Seeing no reason to stand, I stepped to a table and took my seat on its edge. At a nod from Pharaoh Dewdrop took his stand on its farther side. I did not like him behind me and moved more than once, but he always moved when I did, to keep just out of my view.
Pharaoh was looking at Helena, smiling an insolent smile.
"I'm afraid it's clear," he drawled, "that you didn't expect me so soon." He sighed "That's been the misfortune of so many people I've known. Some of them are still living ... You see, a car came by, and its owner gave me a lift. To be perfectly frank, he surrendered the wheel to Dewdrop without a word." Again he fingered his chin. "You know, I can't help feeling you ought to have thought of that."
"I agree," said Helena, shortly.
"That was a bad mistake."
"BUT the only one," said Pharaoh. "Indeed. if I may say so, I'm much impressed. Mr. Spencer's quite a good chauffeur— I'm sure of that; but only a brain in a thousand would have thought of abducting the Count."
Helena stared.
"Are you being humorous?"
"No," said Pharaoh quietly. "I'm simply giving you the answer to a simple addition sum. As it's very short, I'll do it over again ... You left the castle as I was approaching the bridge. In fact. I was able to cross it while Hubert— the faithful Hubert was closing the wicket, before he re-entered the lodge. That's why he didn't see me. But that's by the way ... Well, I found your departure astounding. I mean, on the face of it, once you had gained the castle, to deliberately leave it again was the act of a fool. But you are no fool, Lady Helena ... I was still considering this paradox when I found the postern ajar. I confess that helped me a lot— in more ways than one. And the moment I heard that the Count of Yorick was missing, the sum came out." He uncrossed his legs and lean
ed forward. "Let me put some cards on the table. I want you to see that, if for no other reason, because you have scruples you are weighted clean out of this race. You see, I am not so embarrassed— I never am. Now take tonight. Placed as you were, once I was back in the castle, nothing this side of hell would have got me out. Yet the Count would have disappeared. Now there's a little problem— which I will resolve. I assume he was drunk— forgive me, but he usually is by ten. Well, they say blood's thicker than water, but I never found it so. I should have dropped him gently into the moat ... "
Chapter 15
"PERHAPS you think I'm bluffing. Let me tell you what happened tonight. I wanted a car— badly, and I took the first that came by. Well, that was against the law. By taking that car I offended law and order— two inconvenient gods. They therefore had to be sidetracked. ... What is left of that car is lying on its side in a gully two miles from where we sit. For all I know, it's still burning— with the man it belonged to inside."
This recital was dreadful enough, but Pharaoh lent it a horror that made my blood run cold. I knew it was true— every word. He had murdered an innocent stranger with considerably less compunction than I would have felt about shooting an injured horse. Yet the crime gained in the telling he painted the face of Murder and tired her head. Inhumanity stared from his eyes and rode on his awful voice. The chill of death loaded his accents; the iron of them was frozen, bruising the ears they entered and setting the teeth on edge. But two things they could not do. They could not shake Helena's courage or whip the infinite scorn from her beautiful face.
"Are you seeking to frighten us?" she said.
Pharaoh sat back.
"No," he said, smiling. "Only to open your eyes. Never mind. Would you care to say where you took him? The Count, I mean."
"I must refer you to your powers of deduction. You seem to believe in them."
"As you please," said Pharaoh coolly. "In any event, I'm not at all sure that I want him; he's rather a two-edged sword." He glanced at his watch. "Dear, dear, a quarter to two. It's far too late to discuss my mission tonight. If you'll promise me one or two things— well, I dare say your room is ready"— he raised his eyes to the ceiling— "and the room above yours."
"You insolent swine!" I roared. "If you think—"
The sentence ended in a manner which I should like to forget. It is no good concealing the truth. I yelped with pain, leaped from my seat on the table and swung about, smarting and furious, to face Dewdrop's levelled pistol, some three feet away.
The Jew had pricked my buttock with the blade of his knife.
I hesitated, trembling with rage and desperately weighing the chances of an immediate attack. Fire upon me they dared not. To do so would cost them their hopes and most likely their lives, and they must be shown that blackmail was not to be our portion.
HELENA'S arm was about my shoulders, and her cool, slim hand on my wrist.
"Not that way, my darling, I beg you. Let me play the hand."
"I entirely agree," said Pharaoh. "You're much too mutton-fisted. But you mustn't become abusive: that's really all Dewdrop meant."
The blood surged in my temples. To be baited so was more galling than any knife. But at last discretion prevailed.
"All right," I said thickly. "You play it. I'll manage to bide my time."
The clasp on my shoulders tightened, but that was all.
"What terms," said Helena quietly, "do you suggest?"
"Your word that you will do nothing before midday; that at that hour you two will be here, to take up the same positions you now lay down; that you will give no orders and make no sort of statement which might correct the impression that I am your guest. In a word, I desire your parole— the parole of you both."
There was a moment's silence. Then: "I give it," said Helena quietly.
"And Mr. Spencer?" said Pharaoh. Before I could speak:
"I pledge his word," said Helena.
"That's good enough," said Pharaoh. "Allow me to wish you good-night." He bowed and turned to the door. "Come, Dewdrop," he said.
As in a dream I watched the two retreating with never a backward glance.
As the door closed behind them, Helena put a hand to her head.
"Oh, John!" she said faintly. "I'm afraid I'm—"
The sentence petered out. I was just able to catch her before she fell.
And there I stood, shaken and helpless, pledged to report to a butcher in ten hours' time, with my darling limp in my arms and the blood that Dewdrop had drawn running down my leg.
HALF an hour had gone by, and I was sitting, brooding, on the side of my bed. I was clad in the Count's pyjamas and was wearing his dressing-gown. I had cleansed myself in the bathroom and staunched my wound. This, of course, was nothing, but because it was deep, it had bled a deal more freely than I had supposed. It certainly ached a little, but I was more hungry than hurt. I needed food very badly, to help me, body and soul. Sleep was out of the question. Besides, I did not feel tired.
Someone was knocking— tapping but not on the door.
As I started up the sound ceased.
It had come from the direction of the bathroom. Perhaps, if I waited . . .
The tapping began again.
For a moment I stood still, listening; and then I was proving the panelling close to the bathroom door. The sound came from behind the woodwork.
In vain I sought for some handle while little bursts of tapping demanded an answer that I was not ready to give.
Suddenly I thought of the bathroom. This, like the bedroom, was panelled and there, sure enough, a key was declaring a cupboard sunk in the wall. The moment I opened this I knew that someone beneath it was knocking upon its floor.
The cupboard ran to the left, but its recesses were dark. I therefore rapped in answer and hastened to find my torch. As soon as I brought this to bear, I saw the bolts of a trap which was sunk in the floor of the cupboard, six feet from the door.
In an instant I had it open, and there was a curling staircase of polished oak, and Helena, wrapped in a dressing gown, sitting on one of the stairs. Beside her was standing Sabre, fairly snuffing excitement and ready to leap. The sight of him made me wonder where he had been. I had not set eyes on the dog for more than two hours.
"Thank God." says Helena. "I thought you must be asleep. And now take Sabre, my dear, and tell him to watch your door, and then come down."
The watch was soon set, for Sabre was very wise; and thirty seconds later I entered my lady's room.
On the hearth a fire was burning, and the constant leap of the flames was dispensing what light there was. Walls and ceiling were faintly giving this back, and gold and glass and silver were winking out of the shadows that veiled the room. At first I saw all things darkly; then substance grew out of the shadows to charm the eye— the lovely head of a bedstead, the delicate column that stood for a standard lamp, the elegant curves of a table and the style of a great bergere. A long flash declared a pier-glass and a bright patch of painted woodwork a chest of drawers. And in the midst stood Helena, straight and slim and smiling, her dressing gown swathing her beauty from ankles to throat. The gown was pink, I remember, all flowered with tiny posies, and she was wearing pink slippers which looked absurdly small.
She pointed to a table standing close to the hearth, laid for one only, but bearing enough for three.
"Open the wine, my darling. I'll cut the chicken up."
As I filled her glass:
"We mustn't eat much," I whispered. "If we do, they'll know I've been here."
"Let them know," said Helena quickly. "What do I care? What does it matter, John? What does anything matter now?"
I shook my head.
"This matters, Nell. Compared with this, the forester's cottage and all was a Sunday School show. Don't think I'm prudish; I'm not. I'm only too glad of a good excuse to be here. You see, I'm a man, and I love you— from throat to foot. But no one must ever know it. If we stood on the steps of a scaffold I
'd say the same."
I saw her fingers tighten about the stem of her glass. Then:
"You're right," she said. "I'm getting my values wrong. Never mind. Sabre can cover your tracks. I'll leave a plate on the floor, and they'll think I gave him a meal."
"And the wine you upset," said I. "I'll wet the carpet with water before I go."
Absurdly enough, this arrangement comforted me. The fragments of propriety that remained were scarcely worth taking up; all the same ...
SO we broke our fast together and shared her glass. Whilst we were eating and drinking we hardly exchanged a word, and when we had done I carried the table away and moved her chair to the blaze.
"Cigarettes," she said. "In the china box by the bed."
For five minutes we smoked in silence, regarding the leaping flames. Then I threw down my cigarette and got to my feet.
"Interlude," I said quietly. "And now, if you please, my darling. I want you to go to bed. We've got a hard day coming and we've left a hard day behind. It's no good our talking tonight. I shall be on the ramparts at nine, but I hope that you won't appear till eleven o'clock."
She did not seem to hear me, but after a moment or two she rose to her feet.
"John," she said, "do you love me?" I caught her hand and put it up to my lips.
"You know that I love you," I said, "far more than life."
"I wonder," she said. "That's terribly easy to say."
"Why, Nell, what's the matter?" I whispered.
She shook her beautiful head.
"Nothing's the matter. I only wondered . . . You see, I love you— blindly. There's nothing else in my world. Reputation, Yorick, Valentine— compared with you they're so many idle words. And I naturally can't help wondering whether you love me as much. It doesn't matter, you know. I neither ask nor expect it. But sometimes I wonder, my darling, whether you do."
"Give me your hands," I said, "your beautiful hands." She dropped her cigarette and gave me her other hand. "And now your eyes." She lifted her gaze to mine. "I can't define the word 'love,' but when you look troubled, Nell, it tears my heart. Pharaoh's getting at you through me— we both know that. Well, I can't curse the day I met you, but I wish to God that he'd got me at Annabel, Nell— that day when Rush jogged his arm, and he hit the mirror instead."
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