CHAPTER XXIV.
To say that I was aghast at the discovery of Lady Blackadder, or, asshe preferred to call herself, Lady Henriette Standish, in Aix, andwith the precious child, would but imperfectly express my feelings.For the moment I was so utterly taken aback that I could decide uponno new plan of action. I sat there helplessly staring at the poorcreature, so full of grief and remorse that I was quite unable to riseto the occasion. I had counted so securely upon tricking LordBlackadder into a barren pursuit that my disappointment wasoverwhelming and paralyzed my inventiveness.
Only by slow degrees did I evolve certain definite facts andconclusions. The most essential thing was to get Lord Blackadder awayfrom Aix. So long as he remained he was an ever present danger; ourgame was up directly he awoke to the true state of affairs. He couldappeal now to the police with better result than when claiming mycondign punishment. How was he to be got away? By drawing him afterme. Clearly I must go, and that not alone, but take them with me,following me under the positive impression that I was leading themstraight to their goal. Not one hint, not the slightest suspicion mustbe permitted to reach them that their quarry was here, just undertheir feet. Undoubtedly I must adhere to my first plan. When I hadgone on with the others at my heels, the coast would be clear for LadyHenriette, and she must double back once more and go into safe hidingsomewhere, while the hunt overshot its quarry and rolled on.
So soon as Lady Blackadder recovered from her agitation, I essayed towin her approval of my plans. But the idea of parting from me now thatshe had laid hold of me was so repugnant to her that she yielded oncemore to her nerves.
"I beg and implore you, Colonel Annesley, not to leave me again. Icannot possibly stay here alone. Let me go with you, please, please.I'll do what you like, disguise myself, go third class, anything; butfor goodness' sake don't desert me, or I don't know what willhappen."
"There is simply no help for it, Lady Henriette. You simply must. Itis imperative that you should remain here at least for a day or twowhile the others clear out of your way. It would be quite fatal ifthey saw you or you came across them."
"Oh, you're too cruel, it is perfectly inhuman. I shall tell Claire, Iam sure she will take my part. Oh, why isn't she here, why did I lether leave me? I think I am the most wretched and ill-used womanalive."
These lamentations and indirect reproaches rather hardened my heart.The woman was so unreasonable, so little mindful of what was beingdone for her, that I lost my patience, and said very stiffly:
"Lady Henriette, let us quite understand one another. Do you want tokeep your child? I tell you candidly there is only one way to saveit."
"My darling Aspdale! Of course I want to keep him. How can you suggestsuch a horrid idea? It is not a bit what I expected from you. Clairetold me--never mind what; but please understand that I will never givemy baby up."
I was nettled by her perverseness, and although I tried hard toschool myself to patience, it was exceedingly difficult.
"Indeed, Lady Henriette, I have no desire to separate you from yourchild, nor would I counsel you under any circumstances to give it up.But quite certainly while you are here in Aix you are in imminentdanger of losing it. You ought never to have kept it--it was madnessto come here and run straight into the jaws of danger."
"How was I to know?" she retorted, now quite angrily. "I really thinkit is too bad of you to reproach me. You are most unkind."
"Dear, dear," I said fretfully, "this is all beside the question. Whatis most urgent is to shield and save you now when the peril is mostpressing."
"And yet you propose to leave me to fight it out alone? Is thatreasonable? Is it generous, chivalrous, to desert a poor woman in herextremity?"
"I protest, you must not put it like that. I have explained thenecessity. Surely you must see that it would be madness, quite fatalfor us, to be seen together, or for you to be seen at all. I muststill hoodwink them by going off this afternoon."
"And leave me without protection, with all I have at stake? If onlyClaire was here."
"It wouldn't mend matters much, except that Lady Claire would sidewith me."
"Oh, yes, you say that, you believe she thinks so much of you and youropinion that she would agree to anything you suggest."
"Mine is the safest and the only course," I replied, I am afraid withsome heat. "You must, you shall take it."
"Upon my word, Colonel Annesley, you speak to me as if I were aprivate soldier. Be good enough to remember that I am not under yourorders. I claim to decide for myself how I shall act."
She was no longer piteous or beseeching; her tears had dried, a flushof colour had risen to her cheeks, and it was evident that her despairhad given place to very distinct temper.
I was in a rage myself, and sprang to my feet with a sharp exclamationof disgust.
"Really, Lady Henriette, you will drive me to wash my hands of thewhole business. But I came into it to oblige your sister, and I owe itto her to do my best without reference to you. I have marked out aline for myself, and I shall follow it. Unless you are disposed tochange your views, I shall stick to mine; and I do not see the use ofprolonging this interview. I will bid you good day."
I moved towards the door, still keeping an eye on her, believing herto be quite set in her fatuous refusal to hear reason. She still heldherself erect and defiant, and there seemed to be small hope of doinganything with her. Then suddenly I saw symptoms of giving way. Signalsof distress were hung out in her quivering lip and the nervoustwitching of her hands. All at once she broke down and criedpassionately:
"No, no, no; you must not leave me--not like that. I cannot bear it; Iam too miserable, too agitated, too terrified. I have no one to leanon but you. What shall I do? What shall I do?" And she collapsed intoa chair, weeping as if her heart would break.
The situation was awkward, embarrassing. At another time I might havebeen puzzled how to deal with it, but this was a moment of supremeemergency. A great crisis was imminent, the ruin of our scheme and thedownfall of our hopes were certainly at hand if I gave way to her.Everything depended upon my action, and I knew that the only chanceof safety lay in the execution of my design.
This being so, her tears made no great impression on me. I may becalled a hard-hearted brute, but I really had no great sympathy withher in her lamentations. It was not an occasion for tears, I felt; andI must be firm and unwavering, whatever she might think of me. Icounted, at any rate, and with some assurance, on the approval of LadyClaire if the details of this painful scene should ever come to herears.
Nor could I wait till she chose to regain her composure. Time was tooprecious to be wasted in any attempts to win her back to common sense,and without waiting for permission I crossed the room, rang the bell,and begged the waiter to summon the lady's maid. She was a stronglybuilt, matter-of-fact French woman, probably not easily disturbed; butshe glanced apprehensively at her mistress, and turned a suspiciouslook on me.
"You had better see to your lady," I said sharply. "She has an attackof nerves. I've no doubt it will soon pass, but I'm afraid I haveimparted some distressing news. Be good enough to tell her when sherecovers that I shall come back in half an hour, when I trust shewill be ready to accompany me."
"What is this?" broke in Lady Henriette, suddenly interposing andevidently roused to deep interest in my words. "Accompany you? Where,I should like to know?"
"Is that of much consequence? You have entreated me not to leave you.Well, we shall not part; I propose to take you away with me. Do youobject? It was your own wish."
"I retract that. I will not go with you; certainly not in the dark.You must tell me first where you think of going, what you mean to do.Is it likely that I should trust myself alone with an almost completestranger--a man who has shown me so little consideration, who has beenso unkind, so cruel, and who now wants to carry me off goodness knowswhere, because he is so _obstinately determined_ that his is the rightway to proceed."
"Lady Henriette," I said civilly but very coldly, and
putting the dragon myself, for I confess she was trying me very hard, "let there be nomisunderstanding between us. Either you consent to my proposalsabsolutely and unhesitatingly, or I shall withdraw altogether fromyour service. I have felt that I had a duty to Lady Claire, and Ihave been honestly anxious to discharge it, but by your presentattitude I feel myself absolved from that duty. I am not unwilling toaccept responsibility, but only if I am allowed to act as I please."
"Oh, how like a man! Of course you must have your own way, and everyone else must give in to you," she cried with aggravating emphasis,giving me no credit for trying to choose the wisest course.
"I know I'm right," I urged, a little feebly perhaps, for I was nearlyworn out by her prejudice and utterly illogical refusal to see how theland lay. But I quickly recovered myself, and said quite peremptorily,"You shall have half an hour to make up your mind, not a minute more,Lady Henriette. You shall give me my answer when I return. I warn youthat I shall bring a carriage in half an hour, and I strongly adviseyou to be ready to start with me. Have everything packed, please, andthe bill paid. I will take no denial, remember that."