"I was thinking that the moon will be setting shortly," she answered absent-mindedly. "In an hour it will be dark or very nearly."
"Well, Countess, what can that matter?" said the Austrian _attache_.
She looked at him vaguely for a moment, thinking of the man who had just descended the stairs. Then she said with manifest effort and a faint smile as she laid her hand upon the _attache"s_ arm:
"No, indeed; what can it matter--to me?"
CHAPTER VIII.
THE IRON BRACELET
When Lord Cloverton left Frina Mavrodin he hurried to the vestibule and sent a message to the King, asking for an immediate and private audience, and De Froilette saw the Amba.s.sador go to the King"s private apartment soon afterward. De Froilette knew that this sudden audience could only relate to one of two matters--either Lord Cloverton had made some discovery respecting the Princess Maritza, or else he was aware that Ellerey was with the Queen and was about to make some move which would defeat any conspiracy which might be in progress. That the Amba.s.sador had any idea of the real state of affairs, De Froilette did not believe. He did not go at once to warn the Queen. It was only as the King and the Minister were leaving the private apartments that he realized the danger.
Lord Cloverton was troubled. The various pieces of the puzzle which he had fitted into places to his satisfaction suddenly seemed inadequate to fill the places he had a.s.signed to them. To-night he had discovered a depth in Frina Mavrodin the existence of which he had never suspected.
She had fenced him with his own weapons in a manner he was little accustomed to, and he had signally failed to make use of her in the way he desired. True, she had told him that Ellerey was with the Queen, but she had mentioned it as a circ.u.mstance of small importance. Was it? Was the casual information meant to mislead him? This frivolous woman was beginning to take a new position in the Amba.s.sador"s calculations, and he began, almost unconsciously, to look for some large s.p.a.ce in the intricate puzzle which she might possibly fill. He had imagined that love linked her to Desmond Ellerey, and he was apparently mistaken; it was only friendship, and such friendship might mean anything.
He spoke to Captain Ward, telling him to be particularly observant of Ellerey, and then went to the King. It was unusual with him, but for once he had not determined what course of action to take even when he entered the King"s room.
"What important twist have affairs taken, my lord?" asked the King.
"It is to prevent any twist that I ventured to ask for this audience, your Majesty. I am forced to refer again to a subject which, on a former occasion, gave you some displeasure. You must pardon my importunity, since I believe the danger is imminent."
"I am all attention," the King answered, conscious of the slight embarra.s.sment there was in Lord Cloverton"s manner.
"As you are aware," the Amba.s.sador went on slowly, "I have always considered many of the plots which from time to time become apparent in Sturatzberg of small importance. I have, on the other hand, consistently warned your Majesty of the danger which might at any time manifest itself in a sudden development of the tactics of the brigands in the mountains. Their chief, Vasilici, may be a chief only in name, and it is certain that during the past few months many have joined him who are not brigands in any sense of the word, and who, I conceive, are merely using this outlaw as a convenient cloak to their wider and more sinister intentions."
"Certainly you have always been an alarmist in this matter," said the King, with a smile. "Whatever their intentions may be, the fact remains that they have always fled at the approach of a handful of troops."
"Which is rather unnatural, it seems to me," Lord Cloverton answered quickly. "Whatever else he may lack, your brigand is not deficient in courage, and it must be remembered that the troops sent against these men have never succeeded in finding a trace of their spoils."
"Do you suggest that they have been warned of the expeditions sent against them?"
"I think it probable."
"By whom, my lord?"
"We might laugh at the danger, your Majesty, could I answer that question," replied the Amba.s.sador. "It must be remembered that there are many in Sturatzberg who, while personally loyal to you, are not satisfied with your foreign policy; who believe that Wallaria is too much under the direction of the greater European Powers, and would help you to emanc.i.p.ation in spite of yourself."
"A judgment which is the outcome of ignorance, Lord Cloverton."
"I think so, but it is not reasonable to suppose that they do," returned the Amba.s.sador. "Such a feeling is prevalent in all grades of society in Sturatzberg, from her Majesty Queen Elena, down to the beggars in the Altstra.s.se."
"The Queen, my lord!" exclaimed the King sharply.
"I do not speak hastily, your Majesty, Queen Elena has all those attributes which go to make a great ruler. She has courage, diplomacy, tact, and deep in her heart lies a living, beating interest in her country"s welfare."
"Such praise seems merely the mask for an accusation, my lord. I must request you to be more explicit."
"To be so, your Majesty, was my reason for asking for this interview.
I humbly protest, however, that I make no accusation in the ordinary sense of the word. Her Majesty"s conception of her country"s welfare is, I venture to think, an erroneous one, although I imagine her desire is only to help forward a policy which she believes is near to your heart."
"Enough, Lord Cloverton, let us get to the root of the matter quickly.
Our absence will be remarked and occasion comment."
The King spoke irritably, and the Amba.s.sador felt the delicacy and difficulty of the position. He was not quite sure of his ground. He was rather in the position of one who draws a bow at a venture, and yet he had a shrewd suspicion in which direction the mark lay. Of one thing he was certain--the danger; and he felt justified in taking any risk for the purpose of preventing trouble.
"To-night the Queen has given a special audience to a countryman of mine, a Captain Desmond Ellerey in your Majesty"s service," said the Amba.s.sador, speaking quietly and concisely. "This Captain Ellerey is a man of courage and resource, in a way an adventurer, prepared for any hazardous enterprise if he is once convinced that it is in the service of his adopted country. I believe the Queen intends to send him upon some secret mission which, although she may be ignorant of the fact, will militate against your Majesty, and against your peaceful policy."
"An accusation of treason!" exclaimed the King. "You go too far, my lord."
"I make no such accusation; I only fear an act which may lead to treason in others, and seek to prevent it."
"Why not question Captain Ellerey?"
"I have done so, but to no purpose."
"I will question him," said the King. "Why not question her Majesty?"
Lord Cloverton suggested. "Captain Ellerey is with her at this moment."
"You shall go with me, Lord Cloverton," said the King. "Since you have such suspicions it is no time for secret questionings. Her Majesty shall hear your accusation and shall answer it."
The Amba.s.sador bowed. The King"s decision pleased him. If he had not succeeded in raising the King"s suspicion, he had raised his anger, which would serve the same purpose, and Lord Cloverton still held the trump card in his hand.
The moment Ellerey had left her, the Queen glanced hastily around the room. She slipped the box she had shown him underneath some papers in her drawer, and then with a smile reseated herself, and, drawing paper toward her, she rapidly began to write a note to Frina Mavrodin.
She rose quickly with a little gesture of surprise when the King and the English Amba.s.sador were announced. The King strode into the room, anger still in his face, but Lord Cloverton came to a halt near the door.
"Your Majesty is welcome," said the Queen, "but you look troubled. I fear I spend too little time helping to share your Majesty"s difficulties."
"To defeat intrigues is my hourly occupation, Elena, but there are some intrigues, or whispers of them, which call for special treatment; they are not to be met by counterplot, but by open speech and outspoken denial."
"Am I accused?" the Queen asked.
"Lord Cloverton has seen fit to warn me."
"Of what?" she asked innocently, looking toward the Amba.s.sador.
The King hesitated for a moment, almost as though he wished Lord Cloverton would speak. "To-night you have received Captain Ellerey in private audience," he said after a moment"s pause.
"I have."
"May I know for what purpose?"