Whither Thou Goest Part 30

As they sat on the sofa, she told him at great length of her visit to Ticehurst Park, and the Earl's consent to their engagement, of his endeavour to get her to use her influence to lure Guy from his post, of her refusal, in which she had been staunchly supported by her father.

She had told him briefly of this at the funeral, but he had been so pressed for time that she had only supplied him with the barest details.

"The old dad, he was always great at a bargain, but this time you got the better of him, my darling."

Then he put his hand in his breast pocket, and drew forth a letter. "By Jove, I had very nearly forgotten--a letter received this morning from that dear old Aunt Henrietta. I won't read you all of it, there are yards, but I'll just run through a pa.s.sage that concerns us."

This was the pa.s.sage he read. "I hear a great deal from Mary, who as you know is a most indefatigable correspondent, about your fiancee, Isobel Clandon. She describes her as a most sweet and lovable girl.

There were always the two types in the Rossett family, the practicable and the romantic. You, Mary, and myself belong to the latter. I married for love, Mary would have done, and you are going to.

"I hear also your post is rather a dangerous one, and that they have tried to get you recalled, but that you will not hear of it. Well, I admire your spirit and sense of duty. Still, as soon as you can retire with honour, do so.

"Now that your father has given his consent, there is nothing to wait for. I shall make the way easy for you, as I have always tried to do.

Bring your Isobel to see me at the first opportunity. I am longing to make her acquaintance."

"What a darling!" cried Isobel enthusiastically. "Well, anyway, there are three dear people in the present Rossett family, your Aunt, Mary, and yourself. And Lord Saxham is not so bad after all."

In her happiness she freely forgave the old gentleman his former hostility, his attempt to drive a bargain with her.

"No, he's by no means so bad, when you get to know him, to pierce through the crust as it were. He is a sort of cross between the practical and romantic Rossetts," said Guy.

They talked for a long time about their future plans.

When Isobel laid her head upon her pillow that night, she was happier than she had ever been since the day her dear old father died.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN.

A week had pa.s.sed since the conversation between Valerie Delmonte and Contraras had taken place. A great function was on at the Royal Palace to-night. All the elite of Madrid would be there.

For this special occasion, the leading members of the Spanish section had s.h.i.+fted from Fonterrabia to the capital--Zorrilta, Alvedero, Violet Hargrave, Andres Moreno. Contraras and Valerie Delmonte had already taken up their residence there. It was the night of the great _coup_, on the successful development of which depended the dawn of the new era.

Moreno had a busy day. Thanks to the n.o.ble-spirited action of Mademoiselle Delmonte, who had taken the entire execution of the _coup_ upon herself, he was spared any active partic.i.p.ation in it. Violet Hargrave, who had been originally named as an a.s.sistant, was also dispensed with.

At eleven o'clock in the morning, he was seated in the private room of the Head of the Spanish Secret Service. There was also present the Head of the Police. The three men talked together for a very considerable time. Moreno was attired in his shabby workman's garb; he had on also a false beard and moustache.

When the interview was terminated, Moreno rose; and turned to the Chief of Police.

"You have thought it all out then? You know she will come with the d.u.c.h.ess del Pineda."

"She will be watched from the moment she enters the Palace to the moment she leaves it," was the chief's confident reply.

"And you say that the d.u.c.h.ess is quite ignorant of her intentions?" It was the Chief of the Secret Service who spoke.

"I will swear to the innocence of the d.u.c.h.ess, also to that of the Duke.

They are simply tools. They have been made use of by a superior intelligence, by a man who has a strong hold over the Duke."

"I wish, Mr Moreno, you were able to take us a little more into your confidence. Would it not be possible to bag the whole lot to-night?"

The Chief of the Police rubbed his hands at the thought. "Ah, that would be a fine idea. And I suppose, Mr Moreno, you have it in your power to enable us to do so?"

"Gently, gentlemen, if you please. Don't be ungrateful. I am helping you somewhat to-night. And because I am doing this, you want to rush things," answered the young journalist in his usual quiet way. "Now, look you, much as I desire to serve you, I have a very tender regard for my own skin."

"Naturally," cried the Secret Service man. And the Chief of Police echoed him.

"The secret of this project to-night has been entrusted to a good many people," continued Moreno. "If it fails, as you promise me it will fail, two things will occur to the mind of the Chief--one that the brotherhood has been betrayed by one in their counsels, the other that your spies noticed something suspicious in the behaviour of the woman, and that she was arrested on the strength of that suspicious behaviour."

The two men nodded their heads. They began to see the drift of his observations.

"I was at first designed to take part in this project, but the original programme was altered. Had it been adhered to, I think I could have enabled you to bag the whole lot, at any rate, most of them, and yet escaped scot free myself, of course with your co-operation."

"We dare not ask you to disclose your plan?" insinuated the Secret Service man gently.

Moreno shook his head. "I think not. But if this _coup_ fails, there will be another planned shortly. By that time my ideas will be perfected, and I trust I shall be able to do what you want, and escape with a whole skin. Only one member of the brotherhood will be here to-night. The others are scattered about. Suspicion would at once fall upon me if every one except myself were taken."

"We could work that out pretty easily, could we not?" queried the Chief of Police eagerly.

"I think not," was Moreno's answer. "You would have got this lot out of the way, but there are a few members of the brotherhood left in London, and every man has a knife handy. I must show a clean sheet to those who remain at large. Please trust me, and I will shortly do it in my own way."

Moreno left after cordial hand-shaking. Both the Chiefs were men of considerable astuteness, and great experience. But they agreed that there was a certain subtlety about this young man, a certain suggestion of strength and confidence, that won their admiration.

Moreno perhaps did not repose quite so much confidence in them as they did in himself.

"I hope to heaven they won't bungle it at the last minute," he said to himself as he walked along. "If I were dealing with the French police, I shouldn't have a doubt."

He walked down the Puerta del Sol, past the Grand Hotel de la Paix. He saw the tall form of Contraras enter the vestibule. He shrugged his shoulders, and a look of regret stole over his face.

"He is going to hearten her up for this night's work, the old devil, while he stands safely outside, and looks on. Poor little woman! I wish I could save her. But how can you save a fanatic?" So ran his thoughts. "Why in the name of wonder does a woman who has got everything in the world she requires want to mix herself up with this wretched and bloodthirsty crew? She must lie on the bed she has made, and it will be a pretty hard one, I should wager."

Moreno walked swiftly in the direction of a poor quarter of the town.

He entered the humble abode of an inferior member of the Spanish Secret Service, where he doffed his working-man's garb and a.s.sumed his ordinary clothes.

Later on, he saw Violet Hargrave, who was living close to him.

Violet seemed very restless and perturbed. "This is the great night,"

she said by way of greeting. "I wonder if it will come off all right."

"I should say there is every chance it will, unless Valerie's nerve fails her at the last moment," was Moreno's diplomatic answer.

Mrs Hargrave gave a little shudder. Her pretty delicate face went a shade paler.

"I cannot help feeling glad that I wasn't brought into it."

Moreno bent upon her his keen glance. "And yet I should not put you down as a very tender-hearted person."

"I don't know that I am, or should be under certain circ.u.mstances. But I have no grudge against these people, no particular wrong to avenge.

Aren't you really glad you are out of it?"

"I suppose, in a way, I am. Still, one feels a bit of a coward in letting Valerie take all the risk. It seems taking advantage of her bravery, to s.n.a.t.c.h at the chance of avoiding all danger for oneself."

"I shall sit up very late, on the chance of hearing the news."