CHAPTER IV
"YOU ARE HEAD OF THE HOUSE NOW"
My chief feeling as I rose to receive the Prince"s daughter was a sort of shamefaced regret that I had allowed myself to be hurried into a position which made it necessary for me to mislead her. I meant her nothing but good. I had been brought to the castle all against my will.
I had stayed there largely in order that I might be the means of saving her from danger; and everything I heard only served to increase that danger in my view. Yet the fact of the deception I was practising hampered and embarra.s.sed me in her presence.
She was garbed now in the deepest black, was pale and hollow-eyed, and trembling under the stress of her new sudden sorrow; and she seemed so frail and fragile that my heart ached for her, while my senses were thrilled by her exquisite beauty and by a strange subtle influence which her presence exercised upon me. My pulses beat fast with a tumultuous desire to help her in her helplessness. Never, indeed, had woman moved me like this.
She paused a moment on the threshold, her hand on the arm of an elderly lady who accompanied her; and her large blue eyes rested on my face, searching, reading, and appealing, as I hastened across the room toward her. Her scrutiny appeared to give her confidence, for she withdrew her hand from her companion"s arm and held it out to greet me.
"I felt I must come to bid you welcome, cousin," she said in a low, sweet voice that trembled. "You are welcome--very welcome."
I took the hand and raised it to my lips.
"You should not have distressed yourself to come; I should have understood," I answered.
"I felt that I must see you," she said, very graciously; and I, remembering what I had seen in the garden and all that von Krugen had told me, knew well enough the doubts and fears, anxieties and hopes, that might lie behind the words.
I racked my brain for some sentence that would convey some a.s.surance of my wish to serve her; but I could find no words that pleased me; and after a pause, that to me was awkward enough, she added:
"You are now my only relative in the world except my dear aunt here, the Baroness Gratz."
The old lady made me a very stately and ceremonious bow, which I returned with such courtesy as I could command.
"A great heritage has come to you, sir, and a trust that must test to the utmost one so young in years," she said.
"My one life-purpose shall be to prove worthy of it," I answered earnestly; and I thought the girl"s eyes lightened a little at the words.
"We were alarmed, sir, when we heard that you were unwilling to come,"
said the baroness.
"I am here, madam, to remove that alarm."
"The future fortunes of this n.o.ble house rest largely in your hands, as well as those of this sweet child. You know that?" she asked in reply.
"I know little as yet; but in all I shall strive earnestly to win the confidence of you both."
"You will have mine, cousin," said the girl, impulsively and almost eagerly, as it seemed to me. "And at the earliest moment I wish to tell you all that is in my thoughts and to ask your help."
"You will never ask that in vain, believe me," I returned, raising my eyes to hers, which had all the time been fixed on my face.
"I do believe you--I am sure of you," she cried, again impulsively; and I could have blessed her for the words. "And, oh, I am so glad you have come. There is so much to change and set right."
"Minna!" said the aunt in a gently warning tone.
"I am with friends, and I can speak freely. I feel it. I am sure we shall be friends, cousin. Shall we not? And you will be on my side?"
At this Captain von Krugen, who had remained at the other end of the room, took two or three steps forward as if to speak; but the baroness interposed, and after a warning glance at him whispered to the girl:
"We have not come for this now, child."
"The captain will be my friend, too, whatever happens, I am confident,"
said the girl, looking toward him; "even if I will not go forward with a scheme that must die----"
The word distressed her, and she caught her breath, and her lips faltered so that she could not finish the sentence. She sighed deeply and turned to lean on her companion"s arm again.
"You must not distress yourself, Minna," said the baroness gently.
A rather long, trying pause followed, during which the Countess Minna appeared to be struggling to regain her self-composure. And at the close she said, sadly and listlessly, and yet with a great effort to speak firmly:
"I did not come to speak of these things now, but to ask you, cousin, to do all that has to be done at this time of--of sorrow. You are the head of the house now, and I trust you will use the authority."
"Until you desire otherwise," I answered. "You may depend upon me absolutely."
"That is my wish, cousin; and when I can trust myself, we will have a long conference."
She gave me her hand, and I was in the act of putting it once more to my lips when hurried steps approached, and the Count von Nauheim entered the room hastily. I felt the girl"s fingers start, and involuntarily they closed on mine in a little trembling gesture of half agitation and fear. The touch thrilled me.
"I am surprised to find you here, Minna," he said bruskly. "I think, baroness, it would have been more seemly if Minna had kept in her apartments."
The old lady was more afraid of him than Minna herself, I could see, and she murmured some half-incoherent excuses.
"I see no wrong in coming here to welcome the head of the house," said the girl, trying to appear firm.
"Head of the house," he cried, with a sneer. "You are the head of the house, and, as your affianced husband, it is for me to say what is necessary in these matters of courtesy. I have already seen Herr von Fromberg to welcome him, as you say. Nothing more was necessary. Let me give you my arm to take you to my apartments. Come."
She hesitated an instant, and seemed as if about to refuse; but then changed and placed the tips of her fingers on his arm, and as she did so turned and bowed to me with a smile on her sweet, sad, pale face.
[Ill.u.s.tration: SHE TURNED AND BOWED TO ME WITH A SMILE.]
"I shall see you, cousin Hans, soon, as I said just now. In the mean time I rely upon you to order all such arrangements as you think best--as your position here now requires."
"This gentleman need not trouble himself," said the man, frowning heavily and angrily. "I have given all necessary instructions."
"I will do what you wish," I said to her, ignoring him entirely.
I kept out of sight my rage at his conduct until the three had left the room, and then, forgetting that I was not alone, I vented it in a heavy, bitter oath, and turned to find von Krugen"s keen dark eyes fixed upon me.
I was annoyed to have thus bared my feelings to his quick gaze. I did not wish him to know that I suspected, or even disliked, the count; but he had seen it already.
"He would try to overrule even the Prince himself in the latter time; and he takes interference very ill. He will ride roughshod over all of us if he can."
"Ah, you do not like him," I answered. "But there is no room for dissensions among ourselves. Let it go no farther."
"Have you any commands to give, your Highness? If I am to take them from him, I am to leave the castle."