"In other words," Norgate remarked, "it is a mobilisation."
"Exactly!"
Norgate leaned forward in his chair.
"You"re coming to what I want to suggest," he proceeded. "Listen. You can do it, if you like. Go down to the Admiralty to-night. Give that order.
Set the wireless going. Mobilise the fleet to-night."
Mr. Wyatt looked steadfastly at his companion. His fingers were restlessly stroking his chin, his eyes seemed to be looking through his visitor.
"But it would be a week too soon," he muttered.
"Risk it," Norgate begged. "You have always the Review to fall back upon.
The mobilisation, to be effective, should be unexpected. Mobilise to-morrow. I am telling you the truth, sir, and you"ll know it before many days are pa.s.sed. Even if I have got hold of a mare"s nest, you know there"s trouble brewing. England will be in none the worse position to intervene for peace, if her fleet is ready to strike."
Mr. Spencer Wyatt rose to his feet. He seemed somehow an altered man.
"Look here," he announced gravely, "I am going for the gamble. If I have been misled, there will probably be an end of my career. I tell you frankly, I believe in you. I believe in the truth of the things you talk about. I risked everything, only a few weeks ago, on my belief. I"ll risk my whole career now. Keep your mouth shut; don"t say a word. Until to-morrow you will be the only man in England who knows it. I am going to mobilise the fleet to-night. Shake hands, Mr. Norgate. You"re either the best friend or the worst foe I"ve ever had. My coat and hat," he ordered the servant who answered his summons. "Tell your mistress, if she enquires, that I have gone down to the Admiralty on special business."
CHAPTER x.x.xV
Anna pa.s.sed her hand through Norgate"s arm and led him forcibly away from the shop window before which they had been standing.
"My mind is absolutely made up," she declared firmly. "I adore shopping, I love Bond Street, and I rather like you, but I will have no more trifles, as you call them. If you do not obey, I shall gaze into the next tobacconist"s window we pa.s.s, and go in and buy you all sorts of unsmokable and unusable things. And, oh, dear, here is the Count! I feel like a child who has played truant from school. What will he do to me, Francis?"
"Don"t worry, dear," Norgate laughed. "We"re coming to the end of this tutelage, you know."
Count Lanyoki, who had stopped his motor-car, came across the street towards them. He was, as usual, irreproachably attired. He wore white gaiters, patent shoes, and a grey, tall hat. His black hair, a little thin at the forehead, was brushed smoothly back. His moustache, also black but streaked with grey, was twisted upwards. He had, as always, the air of having just left the hands of his valet.
"Dear Baroness," he exclaimed, as he accosted her, "London has been searched for you! At the Emba.s.sy my staff are reduced to despair.
Telephones, notes, telegrams, and personal calls have been in vain.
Since lunch-time yesterday it seemed to us that you must have found some other sphere in which to dwell."
"Perhaps I have," Anna laughed. "I am so sorry to have given you all this trouble, but yesterday--well, let me introduce, if I may, my husband, Mr.
Francis Norgate. We were married by special license yesterday afternoon."
The Count"s amazement was obvious. Diplomatist though he was, it was several seconds before he could collect himself and rise to the situation. He broke off at last, however, in the midst of a string of interjections and realised his duties.
"My dear Baroness," he said, "my dear lady, let me wish you every happiness. And you, sir," he added, turning to Norgate, "you must have, without a doubt, my most hearty congratulations. There! That is said. And now to more serious matters. Baroness, have you not always considered yourself the ward of the Emperor?"
She nodded.
"His Majesty has been very kind to me," she admitted. "At the same time, I feel that I owe more to myself than I do to him. His first essay at interfering in my affairs was scarcely a happy one, was it?"
"Perhaps not," the Count replied. "And yet, think what you have done! You have married an Englishman!"
"I thought English people were quite popular in Vienna," Anna reminded him.
The Count hesitated. "That," he declared, "is scarcely the question.
What troubles me most is that forty-eight hours ago I brought you a dispatch from the Emperor."
"You brought," Anna pointed out, "what really amounted to an order to return at once to Vienna. Well, you see, I have disobeyed it."
They were standing at the corner of Clifford Street, and the Count, with a little gesture, led the way into the less crowded thoroughfare.
"Dear Baroness," he continued, as they walked slowly along, "I am placed now in a most extraordinary position. The Emperor"s telegram was of serious import. It cannot be that you mean to disobey his summons?"
"Well, I really couldn"t put off being married, could I," Anna protested, "especially when my husband had just got the special license. Besides, I do not wish to return to Vienna just now."
The Count glanced at Norgate and appeared to deliberate for a moment.
"The state of affairs in the East," he said, "is such that it is certainly wiser for every one just now to be within the borders of their own country."
"You believe that things are serious?" Anna enquired. "You believe, then, that real trouble is at hand?"
"I fear so," the Count acknowledged. "It appears to us that Servia has a secret understanding with Russia, or she would not have ventured upon such an att.i.tude as she is now adopting towards us. If that be so, the possibilities of trouble are immense, almost boundless. That is why, Baroness, the Emperor has sent for you. That is why I think you should not hesitate to at once obey his summons."
Anna looked up at her companion, her eyes wide open, a little smile parting her lips.
"But, Count," she exclaimed, "you seem to forget! A few days ago, all that you say to me was reasonable enough, but to-day there is a great difference, is there not? I have married an Englishman. Henceforth this is my country."
There was a moment"s silence. The Count seemed dumbfounded. He stared at Anna as though unable to grasp the meaning of her words.
"Forgive me, Baroness!" he begged. "I cannot for the moment realise the significance of this thing. Do you mean me to understand that you consider yourself now an Englishwoman?"
"I do indeed," she a.s.sented. "There are many ties which still bind me to Austria--ties, Count," she proceeded, looking him in the face, "of which I shall be mindful. Yet I am not any longer the Baroness von Haase. I am Mrs. Francis Norgate, and I have promised to obey my husband in all manner of ridiculous things. At the same time, may I add something which will, perhaps, help you to accept the position with more philosophy? My husband is a friend of Herr Selingman"s."
The Count glanced quickly towards Norgate. There was some relief in his face--a great deal of distrust, however.
"Baroness," he said, "my advice to you, for your own good entirely, is, with all respect to your husband, that you shorten your honeymoon and pay your respects to the Emperor. I think that you owe it to him. I think that you owe it to your country."
Anna for a moment was grave again.
"Just at present," she p.r.o.nounced, "I realise one debt only, and that is to my husband. I will come to the Emba.s.sy to-morrow and discuss these matters with you, Count, but whether my husband accompanies me or not, I have now no secrets from him."
"The position, then," the Count declared, "is intolerable. May I ask whether you altogether realise, Baroness; what this means? The Emperor is your guardian. All your estates are subject to his jurisdiction. It is his command that you return to Vienna."
Anna laughed again. She pa.s.sed her fingers through Norgate"s arm.
"You see," she explained, as they stood for a moment at the corner of the street, "I have a new emperor now, and he will not let me go."
Selingman frowned a little as he recognised his visitor. Nevertheless, he rose respectfully to his feet and himself placed a chair by the side of his desk.