CHAPTER XXXIX
THE HEART OF THE PRINCESS
When Wolfenden opened his paper on Saturday morning, London had alreadydrawn a great breath, partly of relief partly of surprise, for the blackhead-lines which topped the columns of the papers, the placards in thestreets, and the cry of the newsboys, all declared a most remarkablechange in the political situation.
"THE GERMAN EMPEROR EXPLAINS! THERE WILL BE NO WAR! GERMAN CONSUL ORDERED HOME! NO RUPTURE!"
Wolfenden, in common with most of his fellow-countrymen, could scarcelybelieve his eyes; yet there it was in plain black and white. The dogs ofwar had been called back. Germany was climbing down--not with dignity;she had gone too far for that--but with a scuffle. Wolfenden read thepaper through before he even thought of his letters Then he began toopen them slowly. The first was from his mother. The Admiral wasdistinctly better; the doctors were more hopeful. He turned to the nextone; it was in a delicate, foreign handwriting, and exhaled a faintperfume which seemed vaguely familiar to him. He opened it and his heartstood still.
"14, GROSVENOR SQUARE, "LONDON, W
"Will you come and see me to-day about four o'clock?--HELENE."
He looked at his watch--four o'clock seemed a very long way off. Hedecided that he would go out and find Felix; but almost immediately thedoor was opened and that very person was shown in.
Felix was radiant; he appeared to have grown years younger. He wasimmaculately dressed, and he wore an exquisite orchid in hisbutton-hole.
Wolfenden greeted him warmly.
"Have you seen the paper?" he asked. "Do you know the news?"
Felix laughed.
"Of course! You may not believe it, but it is true that I am the personwho has saved your country! And I am quits at last with Herbert de laMeux, Duc de Souspennier!"
"Meaning, I suppose, the person whom we have been accustomed tocall--Mr. Sabin?" Wolfenden remarked.
"Exactly!"
Wolfenden pushed an easy chair towards his visitor and produced somecigarettes.
"I must say," he continued, "that I should exceedingly like to know howthe thing was done."
Felix smiled.
"That, my dear friend," he said, "you will never know. No one will everknow the cause of Germany's suddenly belligerent attitude, and herequally speedy climb-down! There are many pages of diplomatic historywhich the world will never read, and this is one of them. Come andlunch with me, Lord Wolfenden. My vow is paid and without bloodshed. Iam a free man, and my promotion is assured. To-day is the happiest of mylife!"
Wolfenden smiled and looked at the letter on the table before him; mightit not also be the happiest day of his own life!
* * * * *
And it was! Punctually at four o'clock he presented himself at GrosvenorSquare and was ushered into one of the smaller reception rooms. Helenecame to him at once, a smile half-shy, half-apologetic upon her lips.He was conscious from the moment of her entrance of a change in herdeportment towards him. She held in her hand a small locket.
"I wanted to ask you, Lord Wolfenden," she said, drawing her fingersslowly away from his lingering clasp, "does this locket belong to you?"
He glanced at it and shook his head at once.
"I never saw it before in my life," he declared. "I do not wear a watchchain, and I don't possess anything of that sort."
She threw it contemptuously away from her into the grate.
"A woman lied to me about it," she said slowly. "I am ashamed of myselfthat I should have listened to her, even for a second. I chanced to lookat it last night, and it suddenly occurred to me where I had seen it. Itwas on a man's watch-chain, but not on yours."
"Surely," he said, "it belongs to Mr. Sabin?"
She nodded and held out both her hands.
"Will you forgive me?" she begged softly, "and--and--I think--I promisedto send for you!"
* * * * *
They had been together for nearly an hour when the door openedabruptly, and the young man whom Wolfenden had seen with Helene inthe barouche entered the room. He stared in amazement at her, andrudely at Wolfenden. Helene rose and turned to him with a smile.
"Henri," she said, "let me present to you the English gentleman whom Iam going to marry. Prince Henri of Ortrens--Lord Wolfenden."
The young man barely returned Wolfenden's salute. He turned withflashing eyes to Helene and muttered a few hasty words in French--
"A kingdom and my betrothed in one day! It is too much! We will see!"
He left the room hurriedly. Helene laughed.
"He has gone to find the Duchess," she said, "and there will be a scene!Let us go out in the Park."
They walked about under the trees; suddenly they came face to face withMr. Sabin. He was looking a little worn, but he was as carefully dressedas usual, and he welcomed them with a smile and an utter absence of anyembarrassment.
"So soon!" he remarked pleasantly. "You Englishmen are as prompt in loveas you are in war, Lord Wolfenden! It is an admirable trait."
Helene laid her hand upon his arm. Yes, it was no fancy; his hair wasgreyer, and heavy lines furrowed his brow.
"Uncle," she said, "believe me that I am sorry for you, though formyself--I am glad!"
He looked at her kindly, yet with a faint contempt.
"The Bourbon blood runs very slowly in your veins, child," he said."After all I begin to doubt whether you would have made a queen! As formyself--well, I am resigned. I am going to Pau, to play golf!"
"For how long, I wonder," she said smiling, "will you be able to contentyourself there?"
"For a month or two," he answered; "until I have lost the taste ofdefeat. Then I have plans--but never mind; I will tell you later on. Youwill all hear of me again! So far as you two are concerned at any rate,"he added, "I have no need to reproach myself. My failure seems to havebrought you happiness."
He passed on, and they both watched his slim figure lost in the throngof passers-by.
"He is a great man," she murmured. "He knows how to bear defeat."
"He is a great man," Wolfenden answered; "but none the less I am notsorry to see the last of Mr. Sabin!"