"Isobel," I said, "would you mind going indoors!"
"Indoors indeed!" she laughed. "But no. I must see this motor-car."
I stepped quickly up to her, and laid my hand upon her arm.
"Isobel," I said earnestly, "you do not understand. I do not wish to frighten you, but I am afraid that the men in this car are coming here, and it is better that you should be out of the way. They want to take you from us. Go inside and lock yourself in your room."
She looked at me half puzzled, half resentful. The car was close at hand now. We ourselves were almost in the path of its flaring searchlights.
"Arnold, you are joking, of course!" she exclaimed. "They cannot take me away. I would not go."
The car had stopped. It contained four men, one of whom at once alighted and advanced towards us. I knew him by his voice and figure. It was the Baron von Leibingen!
CHAPTER VII
I made no movement towards opening the gate. The newcomer advanced to within a few feet of me, and then paused. He leaned a little forward. He was doubtful, as I could see, of my ident.i.ty.
"Can you tell me," he asked, raising his hat, "if this is Roseleys Cottage, the residence of Mr. Arnold Greatson?"
"Do you forget all your acquaintances so quickly, Baron?" I answered.
"This is Roseleys, and I am Arnold Greatson!"
"Your voice," he declared, "is sufficient. I can a.s.sure you that it is a matter of eyesight, not of memory. In the dark I am always as blind as a bat."
"It is," I remarked, "a very common happening. You are motoring, I see.
You have chosen a very delightful night, but are you not--pardon me--a little off the track? You are on your way to the South Coast, I presume?"
"On the contrary," the Baron answered, "our destination is here. Will you permit me to apologise for the lateness of my visit? We were unfortunately delayed for several hours by a mishap to our automobile, or I should have had the honour of presenting myself during the afternoon."
I did not offer to move.
"Perhaps," I said, "as it is certainly very late, and we were on the point of retiring, you will permit me to inquire at once into the nature of the business which procures for me the honour of this visit."
My visitor paused. His hand was upon the gate. So was mine, keeping it all the time fast closed.
"You will permit me?" he said, making an attempt to enter.
"I regret," I answered, "that at this late hour I am not prepared to offer you any hospitality. If you will come and see me to-morrow morning I shall be happy to hear what you have to say."
My visitor did not remove his hand from the gate. It seemed to me that his tone became more belligerent.
"You are discomposed to see us, Mr. Greatson," he said, "me and my friends. As you see," he added, with a little wave of his hand, "I am not alone. I have only to regret that you have made this visit necessary. We have come to induce you, if possible, to change your mind, and to give up the young lady in whom the Archd.u.c.h.ess has been graciously pleased to interest herself to those who have a better claim upon her."
"It is not a matter," I answered, "which I am prepared to discuss at this hour--or with you!"
"As to that," the young man answered, "I am the envoy of her Royal Highness, as I can speedily convince you if you will."
"It is unnecessary," I answered. "The Archd.u.c.h.ess has already had my answer. Will you allow me to wish you good-night?"
"I wish, Mr. Greatson," the young man said, "that you would discuss this matter with me in a reasonable spirit."
"At a reasonable hour," I answered, "I might be prepared to do so. But certainly not now."
It seemed to me that his hand upon the gate tightened. He certainly showed no signs of accepting the dismissal which I was trying to force upon him.
"I have endeavoured to explain my late arrival," he said. "You must not believe me guilty of wilful discourtesy. As for the rest, Mr. Greatson, what does it matter whether the hour is late or early? The matter is an important one. Between ourselves, her Highness has made up her mind to undertake the charge of the young lady, and I may tell you that when her Highness has made up her mind to anything she is not one to be disappointed."
"In her own country," I said, "the will of the Archd.u.c.h.ess is doubtless paramount. Out here, however, she must take her chance amongst the others."
"But you have no claim--no shadow of a claim upon the child," the Baron declared.
"If the Archd.u.c.h.ess thinks she has a better," I answered, "the law courts are open to her."
My visitor was apparently becoming annoyed. There were traces of irritation in his tone.
"Do you imagine, my dear Mr. Greatson," he said, "that her Highness can possibly desire to bring before the notice of the world the peccadiloes of her ill.u.s.trious relative? No, the law courts are not to be thought of. We rely upon your good sense!"
"And failing that?"
The Baron hesitated. It seemed to me that he was peering into the shadows beyond the hedge.
"The position," he murmured, "is a singular one. Where neither side for different reasons is disposed to submit its case to the courts, then it must be admitted that possession becomes a very important feature in the case."
"That," I remarked, "is entirely my view. May I take the liberty, Baron von Leibingen, of wishing you good-night? I see no advantage in continuing this discussion."
"Possession for the moment," he said slowly, "is with you. Have you reflected, Mr. Greatson, that it may not always be so?"
"Will you favour me," I said, "by becoming a little more explicit?"
"With pleasure," the Baron answered quickly. "I have three friends here with me, and we are all armed. Your cottage is surrounded by half a dozen more--friends--who are also armed. We are here to take Isobel de Sorrens back with us, and we mean to do it. On my honour, Mr. Greatson, no harm is intended to her. She will be as safe with the Archd.u.c.h.ess as with her own mother."
"If you don"t take your hand off my gate in two seconds," I said, "you will regret it all your life."
He sprang forward, but I fired over his shoulder, and with an oath he backed into the road. Isobel meanwhile, now thoroughly alarmed, turned and ran towards the house, only to find the path already blocked by two men, who had stepped silently out from the low hedge which separated the garden from the fields beyond. Allan promptly knocked one of them down, only to find himself struggling with the other. Isobel, whose skirts were caught by the fallen man, tried in vain to release herself. I dared scarcely turn my head, for my levelled revolver was keeping in check the Baron and his three friends.
"Baron," I said, "your methods savour a little too much of comic opera.
You have mistaken your country and--us. There are three of us, and if you force us to fight--well, we shall fight. The advantage of numbers is with you, I admit. For the rest, if you succeed to-night you will be in the police court to-morrow."
The Baron made no answer. I felt that he was watching the struggle which was going on behind my back. I heard Isobel shriek, and the sound maddened me. I left it to the Baron to do his worst. I sprang backwards, and brought the b.u.t.t end of my revolver down upon the skull of the man who was dragging her across the lawn. Then I pa.s.sed my arm round her waist, and called out once more to the Baron who had pa.s.sed through the gate, and was coming rapidly towards us.
"You fool!" I cried. "Unless you call off your hired gang and leave this place at once, every newspaper in London shall advertise Isobel"s name and presence here to-morrow."
It was a chance shot, but it went home. I saw him stop short, and I heard his little broken exclamation.
"But you do not know who she is?" he cried.