CHAPTER XXXV
The Prince crossed the hall and entered the morning-room. Felix wasthere and Raoul de Brouillac. The Duchess sat at her writing-table,scribbling a note. Lady Carey, in a wonderful white serge costume, anda huge bunch of Neapolitan violets at her bosom, was lounging in aneasy-chair, swinging her foot backwards and forwards. The Duke, in avery old tweed coat, but immaculate as to linen and the details ofhis toilet, stood a little apart, with a frown upon his forehead, andexactly that absorbed air which in the House of Lords usually indicatedhis intention to make a speech. The entrance of the Prince, whocarefully closed the door behind him, was an event for which evidentlythey were all waiting.
"My good people," he said blandly, "I wish you all a very good-morning."
There was a little murmur of greetings, and before they had all subsidedthe Duke spoke.
"Saxe Leinitzer," he said, "I have a few questions to ask you."
The Prince looked across the room at him.
"By all means, Duke," he said. "But is the present an opportune time?"
"Opportune or no, it is the time which I have selected," the Dukeanswered stiffly. "I do not altogether understand what is going on inthis house. I am beginning to wonder whether I have been misled."
The Prince, as he twirled his fair moustache, glanced carelessly enoughacross at the Duchess. She was looking the other way.
"I became a--er--general member of this Society," the Duke continued,"sympathising heartily with its objects as explained to me by you,Prince, and believing, although to confess it is somewhat of ahumiliation, that a certain amount of--er--combination amongst thearistocracy has become necessary to resist the terrible increase ofSocialism which we must all so much deplore."
"You are not making a speech, dear," the Duchess remarked, lookingcoldly across the room at him. "We are all anxious to hear what thePrince has to say to us."
"Your anxiety," the Duke continued, "and the anxiety of our friends mustbe restrained for a few minutes, for there are certain things which Iam determined to say, and to say them now. I must confess that it wasat first a painful shock to me to realise that the time had come when itwas necessary for us to take any heed of the uneducated rabble who seemborn into the world discontented with their station in life, and insteadof making honest attempts to improve it waste their time railing againstus who are more fortunately placed, and in endeavours to mislead inevery possible way the electorate of the country."
The Prince sighed softly, and lit a cigarette. Lady Carey and Felix werealready smoking.
"However," the Duke continued, "I was convinced. I have always believedin the principle of watching closely the various signs of the times,and I may say that I came to the conclusion that a combination of thethinking members of the aristocratic party throughout the world was anexcellent idea. I therefore became what is, I believe, called a generalmember of the Order, of which I believe you, Prince, are the actualhead."
"My dear James," the Duchess murmured, "the Prince has something to sayto us."
"The Prince," her husband answered coldly, "can keep back hisinformation for a few minutes. I am determined to place my positionclearly before all of you who are present here now. It is only since Ihave joined this Society that I have been made aware that in addition tothe general members, of which body I believe that the Duchess and I arethe sole representatives here, there are special members, and members ofthe inner circle. And I understand that in connection with these thereis a great machinery of intrigue going on all the time, with branchesall over the world, spies everywhere with unlimited funds, and with hugeopportunities of good or evil. In effect I have become an outside memberof what is nothing more nor less than a very powerful and, it seems tome, daring secret society."
"So far as you are concerned, Duke," the Prince said, "yourresponsibility ceases with ordinary membership. You can take no count ofanything beyond. The time may come when the inner circle may be openedto you."
The Duke coughed.
"You misapprehend me," he said. "I can assure you I am not anxious forpromotion. On the contrary, I stand before you an aggrieved person. Ihave come to the conclusion that my house, and the shelter of my wife'sname, have been used for a plot, the main points of which have been keptwholly secret from me."
The Prince flicked his cigarette ash into the grate.
"My dear Dorset," he said gently, "if you will allow me to explain--"
"I thank you, Saxe Leinitzer," the Duke said coldly, "but it isbeginning to occur to me that I have had enough of your explanations.It seemed natural enough to me, and I must say well conceived, that someattempt should be made to modify the views of, if not wholly convert,Reginald Brott by means of the influence of a very charming woman. Itwas my duty as a member of the Order to assist in this, and the shelterof my house and name were freely accorded to the Countess. But it isnews to me to find that she was brought here practically by force.That because she was an inner member and therefore bound to implicitobedience that she was dragged away from her husband, kept apart fromhim against her will, forced into endeavours to make a fool of Brotteven at the cost of her good name. And now, worst of all, I am told thata very deeply laid plot on the part of some of you will compel herto leave England almost at once, and that her safety depends upon herinducing Reginald Brott to accompany her."
"She has appealed to you," the Prince muttered.
"She has done nothing so sensible," the Duke answered drily. "The factswhich I have just stated are known to every one in this room. I perhapsknow less than any one. But I know enough for this. I request, SaxeLeinitzer, that you withdraw the name of myself and my wife from yourlist of members, and that you understand clearly that my house is tobe no more used for meetings of the Society, formal or informal. And,further, though I regret the apparent inhospitality of my action, myfinger is now, as you see, upon the bell, and I venture to wish you alla very good-morning. Groves," he added to the servant who answered thedoor, "the Prince of Saxe Leinitzer's carriage is urgently required."
The Prince and Lady Carey descended the broad steps side by side. Shewas laughing softly but immoderately. The Prince was pale with fury.
"Pompous old ass," he muttered savagely. "He may have a worse scandal inhis house now than he dreams of."
She wiped her eyes.
"Have I not always told you," she said, "that intrigue in this countrywas a sheer impossibility? You may lay your plans ever so carefully, butyou cannot foresee such a contretemps as this."
"Idiot!" the Prince cried. "Oh, the dolt! Why, even his wife wasamazed."
"He may be all those pleasant things," Lady Carey, said, "but he is agentleman."
He stopped short. The footman was standing by the side of Lady Carey'svictoria with a rug on his arm.
"Lucille," he said thoughtfully, "is locked in the morning-room. She isprostrate with fear. If the Duke sees her everything is over. Uponmy word, I have a good mind to throw this all up and cross to Paristo-night. Let England breed her own revolutions. What do you say,Muriel? Will you come with me?"
She laughed scornfully.
"I'd as soon go with my coachman," she said.
His eyebrows narrowed. A dull, purple flush crept to his forehead.
"Your wit," he said, "is a little coarse. Listen! You wish our firstplan to go through?"
"Of course!"
"Then you must get Lucille out of that house. If she is left there sheis absolutely lost to us. Apart from that, she is herself not safe.Our plan worked out too well. She is really in danger from this Dusonaffair."
The laughter died away from Lady Carey's face. She hesitated with herfoot upon the step of her carriage.
"You can go back easily enough," the Prince said. "You are the Duke'scousin, and you were not included in his tirade. Lucille is in themorning-room, and here is the key. I brought it away with me. You musttell her that all our plans are broken, that we have certain knowledgethat the police are on the track of this Duson affair. Get her to yourhouse in Pon
t Street, and I will be round this afternoon. Or betterstill, take her to mine."
Lady Carey stepped back on to the pavement. She was still, however,hesitating.
"Leave her with the Duke and Duchess," the Prince said, "and she willdine with her husband to-night."
Lady Carey took the key from his hand.
"I will try," she said. "How shall you know whether I succeed?"
"I will wait in the gardens," he answered. "I shall be out of sight, butI shall be able to see you come out. If you are alone I shall cometo you. If she is with you I shall be at your house in an hour, and Ipromise you that she shall leave England to-night with me."
"Poor Brott!" she murmured ironically.
The Prince smiled.
"He will follow her. Every one will believe that they left Londontogether. That is all that is required."
Lady Carey re-entered the house. The Prince made his way into thegardens. Ten minutes passed--a quarter of an hour. Then Lady Carey withLucille reappeared, and stepping quickly into the victoria were drivenaway. The Prince drew a little sigh of relief. He looked at his watch,called a hansom, and drove to his club for lunch.
Another man, who had also been watching Dorset House from the gardensfor several hours, also noted Lucille's advent with relief. He followedthe Prince out and entered another hansom.
"Follow that victoria which has just driven off," he ordered. "Don'tlose sight of it. Double fare."
The trap-door fell, and the man whipped up his horse.