CHAPTER XVII
MELODRAMA AT TRANT HALL
When Lady Kathleen bade good-bye to Westerham she drove first toDowning Street, where she met her father.
Together they travelled down to Trant Hall, and on the way Kathleengave Lord Penshurst a full account of all that had passed since she hadbeen summoned so suddenly to Rouen.
The Premier sat with bowed head, holding his daughter's hand as helistened to her narrative. For the moment it seemed to crush himutterly, and when Kathleen had finished speaking he lifted up his headand said, in a stricken way:
"So this is the end of it?" He added, after a few moments: "Are yousure that a week is the full limit of time we can obtain?"
"I am only too certain," answered Kathleen. "If we fail within the nextweek, then----" she broke off and looked apprehensively about her asthough even the cushions of the carriage might have ears. Finally shebent her head and whispered into her father's ear.
At this Lord Penshurst grew paler than before, while great drops ofsweat broke out on his forehead.
"That," he cried, "must never be! Kathleen, great though the sacrificeis, you must make it--make it for our country's sake. Oh! to think thatI should have wished to serve her so well and should have served her soevilly."
For a long time after this Lord Penshurst and his daughter sat insilence as the train ran on through the night. It was not, indeed,until they had reached Trant Hall and had a little supper, for it wasnow very late, that Kathleen ventured again to broach the subject ofWesterham.
She was almost ghastly in her paleness, but was entirely calm andself-possessed.
"Father," she said, patting the old man's hand as he sat staring beforehim as though fascinated by some mental vision of pain and horror, "letus try and see what we can do in this matter on a business-like basis."
The aged Premier nodded his head, but he still gazed steadily beforehim.
"Don't you think," urged Kathleen, "that you owe it to me to leave nostone unturned to defeat Melun before the week is out? Melun we cannotcatch. You tried to do so, and Claude has tried to do so during thelast few days, but the man is as elusive as an eel. Why not take thisman Westerham to a certain extent on trust? Of course, you will laughat me, and say that I am merely guided by a feminine habit of jumpingto conclusions. Nevertheless, I am perfectly convinced that Mr. JamesRobinson is Sir Paul Westerham, and that if we were only to take himinto our confidence he could do much to help us."
"My child," said the old man, looking at his daughter in a piteousway, "it is, as you know, simply impossible. We have neither ofus been released from our oath of silence, and it would be mostdisgraceful of us to break our word. Indeed, it would be absolutelyindefensible, unless by breaking it we were absolutely certain we couldsave the situation."
"Why not ask Sir Paul Westerham to help us without telling himanything?" suggested Kathleen.
"Do you think any man would be such a fool as to serve us on thoseterms?" asked the Premier.
"But he has promised to do so," cried Kathleen.
Lord Penshurst, however, remained obstinate.
"No! no! my dear!" he said. "It's quite out of the question. Itwould arouse considerable comment if we were to postpone this danceto-morrow--there is no legitimate excuse for doing so. Let us get itover and then we will together see what can be done.
"We cannot even take Claude into our confidence, but I can at leastgive him _carte blanche_ to take any steps that he deems necessary. AndClaude is not a fellow, thank goodness, to stick at much if we haveanything at stake."
He rose from his chair, and coming over to his daughter's side strokedher hair gently.
He did not tell Lady Kathleen so, but on one point the old man hadmade up his mind. Outwardly he was encouraging Lady Kathleen to braceherself for the sacrifice which appeared inevitable, but he had inreality resolved upon another course, even though it meant for himsuicide or the gallows.
All through the following day Kathleen moved through the great housesilently superintending the arrangements for the ball.
During the afternoon the majority of the house-party arrived, and atdinner-time both Lord Penshurst and Lady Kathleen had to throw offtheir gloom as best they could and devote all their minds and energiesto the entertainment of their guests.
Two or three great singers had come down from London, and there wasmusic in the grand saloon. It was then that young Hilden sought outLady Kathleen and drew her apart from the guests.
"Kathleen," he said to his cousin, "I want to have a very serious talkwith you. During the past three weeks your father has asked me to doa great many extraordinary things, and I have not scrupled to carryout any of his instructions, though they have involved a considerableamount of law-breaking.
"I don't know what all this business is about. I assure you I have notthe slightest idea, nor have I the least wish to pry into my uncle'ssecrets; but at the same time, I am growing very uneasy. This mystery,whatever it may be, is weighing on him greatly. He has completelychanged in the last month; he is becoming an old and almost broken man.I do not wish to alarm you, but I feel that I ought to open your eyesto this in case it may have escaped you."
"It is very kind of you," said Kathleen, wearily, "but I have noticedit myself, and am very much distressed."
"Then why not be more explicit?" urged Hilden. "Why not tell me whatthis matter is about? Surely I could take some of the burden off yourshoulders. It is a most amazing thing--and I think, with all duerespect to your father--a very wrong thing that a trouble of thissort--and I can see it is a great trouble--should be foisted on to theshoulders of a mere girl."
Kathleen looked at him sadly and wistfully.
"I wish I could tell you, Claude," she said, "but unfortunately I ampledged to secrecy. I think it is more likely that my father will speakto you about the matter to-morrow, though I fear that he will tell younothing more than you know at present.
"He may, however, ask you to do several more strange things. You haveoffered to help us, and so let me implore you to help us by doingeverything that you are asked, no matter what it may involve."
"Kathleen," cried Hilden, taking her hands and looking into her eyes,"you know very well that there is nothing that I would not do for yoursake."
She thanked him, and drawing away her hands left him, weighed downwith a terrible oppression. Her own thoughts frightened her. She wasconscious of a dreadful desire for a man's death. She prayed to bedelivered from the sin of hoping that she might escape disgrace at thecost of a man's life.
The ball began at about half-past ten, and for an hour before thatmotor-cars and carriages had been rolling up the long sweep of drive,and the reception-rooms had been filling with the power, the wealth,and the beauty of the country.
By her father's side Kathleen stood at the head of the grand staircaseto receive the guests. And one after the other, with misdirectedkindness, they murmured their regret to see Kathleen looking sofar from well. Her father glanced round impatiently at every suchexpression, till from the pallor born of the despair which was settlingdown upon her heart Kathleen's face assumed a vivid flush, due toagitation and annoyance; so that from looking wan and ill her beautybecame feverish and radiant.
Hilden, hovering near, felt his heart aching.
By eleven o'clock all the guests had arrived, and the grand staircaseand reception saloon were alike deserted, while the ball-room wasthronged with dancers and those who watched the dancing.
Lord Penshurst had long been famous as a host, and Lady Kathleen, inspite of her youth, was already numbered among the great hostesses ofthe country.
The scene, indeed, was full of splendour, and, as Melun's greedy mindhad anticipated, the jewels of the women must have been worth upwardsof half a million.
The slow, low music of a waltz was stealing down from the gallery,where the musicians were placed, when Lord Penshurst, who had justentered from the grand staircase, was conscious of some disturbance inthe hall. For a moment he did not inquire
what the cause of the upsetmight be; and it was, perhaps, just as well for him that he did not.
Up the drive had swept three great motor-cars, which had drawn up in acurious formation before the great entrance. Their concentrated headand side lights faced the door, so that the servants who stood aboutthe hall were almost blinded by the glare.
From the cars descended a score of men in evening dress. But as theycame into the more subdued light of the hall the keen eyes of theservants stationed there were quick to see that, in spite of theirshirt-fronts and their opera-hats, these men were not gentlemen.
The arrival of so many men at once took the groom of the chambersaback, but he hurried forward to meet the guests, thinking thatpossibly this might be some surprise party.
His hospitable intention, however, met with a rude check, for he hadscarcely taken half a dozen steps forward when he found himself lookingdown the barrel of a revolver.
A pleasant, easy voice called on him to stop, and the man stoodstockstill, staring stupidly straight in front of him, half-fearfullyand half-fascinated by the glint of the six-shooter.
The other men poured in quietly and quickly and formed a semi-circleabout the door.
Three of their number remained outside, covering with their revolversthe two country constables who had been on special duty for the purposeof controlling the traffic.
All the men were masked, not only their foreheads, but their facesright down to their chins being hidden in black crape.
The man who led them stepped forward and ordered the groom of thechambers back; and the man and his fellow-servants retreated before theadvance of the strange intruders.
A couple of armed and masked men sufficed to keep the handful ofmen-servants penned in the corner. Two others were stationed on thestairs to check any advances in that direction, while two others keptthe passages closed against all comers.
At the head of about twelve men the leader walked swiftly towards thedoor of the ball-room, where he met Lord Penshurst face to face. Forthe Prime Minister, growing uneasy at the continued movement in thehall, had come out himself to see what might be on foot.
"Get back, Lord Penshurst," said the leader, still in a pleasant andeasy voice; "get back or I will not answer for your life."
The Prime Minister checked himself, but craned his head forward.
"By heaven!" he said in a low voice, "I believe that is you, Melun."
"Never mind who I may be, but keep your tongue still. Unless you wishto be quieted, kindly refrain from mentioning names in my presence.
"Now turn about, if you please, and get back to the ball-room."
At this sudden confrontation by danger the Prime Minister's troubleswere for the moment forgotten, and he was again the strong, courageousman that he had once been. He looked straight and steadily at theveiled eyes of the intruder, and declined to turn about. Instead, heretreated backwards step by step.
The music in the ball-room had effectually drowned any noise of thedisturbance except to those who stood nearer to the door.
Among these was Hilden. He had followed hard upon the Prime Minister'sfootsteps, and had, at a glance, taken in the position of affairs.
Nor did he hesitate for a moment. Breaking into a run, he dashed acrossthe hall towards the little alcove in which he knew were placed thetelephone and the police call.
As he approached the alcove, however, he was brought to a standstill bya man with a revolver.
Melun noted his progress, and turned about and cried, "Keep thatgentleman away. If he moves another yard--shoot!"
Young Hilden threw one contemptuous glance at Melun and walked on. Theman hesitated to fire.
"Fire! you fool," shouted Melun, but the man still held his hand andhesitated so long that Hilden had gripped the barrel of his revolver inhis left hand before the fellow quite realised what was happening.
If the man had scruples, Melun had none. His revolver spoke quickly,and Hilden, with a little cough, fell forward on his face.
Turning from his butcher's work, Melun whipped round to meet theterror-stricken eyes of Lady Kathleen.
"Will you take your daughter away, Lord Penshurst?" he said in a lowvoice. "It is not my fault that she has been compelled to look on this."
The Prime Minister grasped Kathleen by the arm and drew her into theball-room. Melun closed in on him and the other men followed.
As they entered the room they spread themselves out fanwise in anobviously prearranged plan.
Coolly and deliberately Melun discharged his revolver at the paintedceiling overhead, bringing down a little cloud of plaster.
The orchestra stopped in the middle of a bar, the dancers came to ahalt, and all those guests who had been sitting round the ball-roomleapt with cries to their feet.
"Silence!"
Melun's voice rung out clear and hard.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he cried, "I have no desire to create adisturbance. If you will listen to me all will be well."
Turning for a second to Lord Penshurst, he said, "Get back to themiddle of the ball-room."
The Prime Minister had no other course but to obey.
Melun next proceeded to deal with those guests who were nearest to thedoor.
"All of you," he said in a tone of easy command, "all of you get backbeyond the chandelier."
He pointed to the great cut-glass candelabra which hung from theceiling.
Here and there a woman gave a little scream, but for the most part thepeople who had been so rudely disturbed were very quiet.
Melun watched the retreat through his mask, and when all the guests hadcrowded together at the end of the room he gave them further orders.
"All the men step to the front!"
The men looked angrily and defiantly at Melun and his companions, butthey had no option in the matter, for a dozen revolvers were pointed intheir direction with unwavering nozzles.
Sullenly, angrily, the men came forward, and formed a long chainbefore the women, who clung together in terror or sat huddled onchairs, holding their faces in their hands. There was a pause, and LordPenshurst turned towards his guests.
"_On the floor at Melun's feet there slowly grew aglittering pile of jewels_"]
"My friends," he cried, "I greatly regret this outrage. Any loss whichyou may suffer at the hands of these thieves I will, of course, makegood, but let me implore you to do everything in your power to preventany bloodshed."
"Be silent!" thundered Melun. "You were not asked to speak. LadyKathleen, will you be kind enough to leave your father and join theother ladies?"
Lady Kathleen faced him with flaming eyes. "No!" she cried. "My placeis by my father's side."
She took her father's arm and stood the very picture of defiance,looking scornfully at Melun and his men.
"Very well," said Melun, quietly; "have your own way."
"Now we will proceed to business," he continued, "and I will ask youladies and gentlemen to be quick; my time is short, and if we are toleave free of interference there is not much time to spare.
"You, gentlemen," he said, addressing the men, "collect all thejewellery that the ladies hand you, pass it on, and throw it here." Hepointed to the floor at his feet.
The men hesitated, looking one to another; and one boy, more bold thanthe rest, jumped forward and cried, "Never! you dirty scoundrel!" Andhe dashed across the floor towards Melun.
Melun let him come on, and it said something for the coolness of theman that he did not even fire, but waited till the lad was upon him.Then he swung round, and catching him on the back of the ear with thebutt of his pistol, sent him sprawling senseless to the floor.
After that there was no demonstration of any kind. With almost feverishhaste the women began plucking the jewels from their hair and fromtheir bosoms, from their wrists and from their necks. Trembling, theyhanded them to the men standing in a row before them.
One by one bracelets and necklets and tiaras were tossed on to thefloor at Melun's feet until there slowly grew a
glittering pile ofjewels.
And then it became obvious that Melun had provided against everycontingency and had counted on complete success.
For at a word from him one of the masked men came forward with a roughsack, into which he threw the jewels with as much care as he might havebestowed upon a heap of coals.
When the fellow had gathered them all up Melun made a little bow ofmockery.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he said, "I have to thank you for yourhospitality and for your generosity. With your kind permission I willnow withdraw."
Suddenly a bold, clear, full voice spoke from the little gallery inwhich the musicians sat cowering.
"Unfortunately," said the voice, "I fear that you have not mypermission."
All the guests started and turned involuntarily to see whence came thechallenge. Melun looked up quickly and stood staring with amazement.
For stepping down the staircase which led from the little gallery cameWesterham, smiling serenely.