"Major Delahaye was not sent," he said. "He went on his own account. He was the only person who knew the child"s whereabouts."
"And what do you suppose his object was in bringing her away from the convent?" Allan persisted.
"I do not know," the Baron answered. "All I can say is that it pleases me vastly more to find the child in your keeping than in his."
"Was the man who shot him," I asked, "concerned in the child"s earlier history?"
"I cannot place him at all," the Baron answered. "I should imagine that his quarrel with Major Delahaye was a personal one, and had no bearing upon the child. Few men had more enemies than Delahaye. One does not wish to speak ill of the dead, but he was a bully and a brute all his days."
A servant in plain black livery brought a sealed note to our host, and stood respectfully by his side while he read it. It obviously consisted of but a few words, yet the Baron continued to hold it in front of him for nearly a minute. Finally, he crushed it in his hand, and dismissed the servant.
"There is no answer," he said. "I shall wait upon her Highness in an hour."
Our dinner was over. Both Mabane and myself had declined dessert. Our host rose.
"Gentlemen," he said, "I have ordered coffee in the smoking-room. The head-waiter has told me of some wonderful brandy, and I have some cigars which I am anxious for you to try. Will you come this way?"
We were the only occupants of the smoking-room. The Baron appropriated a corner, and left us to fetch the cigars. Mabane lit a cigarette and leaned back in an easy-chair.
"It seems to me, Arnold," he said, "that you are like the man who found what he went out for to see. You wanted tragedy--and you came very near it. I do not quite see what the end of all these things will be. Our host----"
"There is a disappointment in store for him, I fancy," I interrupted.
"He is a very faithful servant of the Archd.u.c.h.ess, and he has worked hard for her. From his point of view his arguments are reasonable enough. All that he says is plausible--and yet--one feels that there is something behind it all. Allan, I don"t trust one of these people! I can"t!"
"Nor I," Allan answered softly, for the Baron had already entered the room.
He brought with him some wonderful cabanas, and immediately afterwards coffee and liqueurs were served. The moment the waiter had disappeared, he threw off all reserve.
"Come," he said, "I am no longer your host. We meet here on equal terms.
I have an offer to make to you which I think you will find astonishing.
The fact is, her Highness is anxious to run no risk of any resurrection of a certain scandal. She has commissioned me to beg your acceptance--you and your friend--of these," he laid down two separate pieces of paper upon the table. "She wishes to relieve you as soon as possible to-night, if you can arrange it--of the care of a certain young lady. There need be no hesitation about your acceptance. Royalty, as you know, has special privileges so far as regards bounty, and her Highness appreciates most heartily the care and kindness which the child has received at your hands."
I stared at my piece of paper. It was a cheque for five thousand pounds.
I looked at Mabane"s. It was a cheque for a like amount. Then I looked up at the Baron. The perspiration was standing out upon his forehead. He was watching us as a man might watch one in whose hands lay the power of life or death. I resisted my first impulse, which was simply to tear the cheque in two. I simply pushed it back across the table.
"Baron," I said, "if this is meant as a recompense for any kindness which we have shown to a friendless child, it is unnecessary and unacceptable. If it is meant," I added more slowly, "for a bribe, it is not enough."
"Call it what you will," he answered quickly. "Name your own price for the child--brought here--to-night."
"No price that you or your mistress could pay, Baron," I answered quietly. "I told you my ultimatum two hours ago. The child remains with us until she is claimed by one who has a legal right, and is not afraid to invoke the law."
"But I have explained the position," the Baron protested. "You must understand why we cannot bring such a matter as this into the courts."
"Your story is ingenious, and, pardon me, it may be true," I answered.
"We require proof!"
The Baron"s face was not pleasant to look upon.
"You doubt my word, sir--my word, and the word of the Archd.u.c.h.ess?"
I rose to my feet. Mabane followed my example. I felt that a storm was pending.
"Baron," I said, "there are some causes which make strange demands upon the best of us. A man may lie to save a woman"s honour, or, if he be a politician, for the good of his country. I cannot discuss this matter any further with you. My sole regret is that we ever discussed it at all. My friend and I must wish you good-night."
"By heavens, you shall not go!" the Baron exclaimed. "What right have you to the child? None at all! Her Highness wishes to be generous. It pleases you to flout her generosity. Mr. Arnold Greatson, you are a fool! Don"t you see that you are a pigmy, who has stolen through the back door into the world where great things are dealt with? You have no place there. You cannot keep the child away from us. You have no influence, no money. You are n.o.body. If you think----"
Mabane interposed.
"Baron," he said, "if you were not still, in a sense, our host, I should knock you down. As it is, permit me to tell you that you are talking nonsense."
The Baron drew a sharp, quick breath.
"You are right," he said shortly. "I am a fool to discuss this with you at all. It is not worth while. The Archd.u.c.h.ess, out of kindness, would have treated you as friends. You decline! Good! You shall be treated--as you deserve."
The Baron threw open the door and bowed us out. The commissionaire helped us on with our coats and summoned a hansom. We were just driving off, when a man in a long travelling coat, who had been standing outside the swing-door of the hotel, calmly swung himself up into the cab and motioned to us to make room. I stared at him in blank amazement.
"Hullo!" I exclaimed. "What----"
"It is I, my friend," Mr. Grooten answered calmly. "Tell the man to drive to your rooms."
CHAPTER IV
"I am staying at Claridge"s, or rather I was," Mr. Grooten remarked, as we turned into Brook Street. "I saw you with Leibingen, and I have been waiting for you. We will talk, I think, at your rooms."
Whereupon he lit a fresh cigarette, and did not speak a word until we had reached our destination. Isobel had gone to bed, and our sitting-room was empty. I turned up the lamp, and pushed a chair towards him. In various small ways he seemed to have succeeded in effecting a wonderful change in his appearance. His hair was differently arranged, and much greyer. His face was pale and drawn as though with illness. But for his voice and his broad, humorous mouth I doubt whether I should immediately have recognized him.
"I perceive," he said, "that I am not forgotten. It is very flattering!
My friends abroad tell me that I have altered a good deal during the last twelve months."
"You have altered, without a doubt," I admitted. "But the circ.u.mstances connected with our first meeting were scarcely such as tend towards forgetfulness. You remember my friend, Mr. Allan Mabane?"
"Perfectly," he a.s.sented, with a courteous little wave of the hand. "I am very glad to have come across you both again so opportunely. I only arrived in England a few days ago, but I did not hope to have this pleasure until the morning at the earliest. You expected to have heard from me, perhaps, before."
"I don"t know about that," I answered, "but I can a.s.sure you that we are both very glad to see you, for more reasons than one. There are a good many things which we are anxious to discuss with you."
"The pleasure, then, is mutual," Mr. Grooten remarked affably. "Isobel is, I trust, well?"
"She is quite well," I answered.
"You are helping her to spend her time profitably, I am glad to find,"
he continued. "I saw two miniatures of hers yesterday at the Mordaunt Rooms."
"Isobel has gifts," I said. "We are doing our best to a.s.sist her in their development."
Mr. Grooten raised his eyes to mine. He looked at me steadily.