Englandshe will be eating her heart out."
Farquhar was, perhaps unconsciously, swayed by Lady Mary. He made uphis mind to regard the suggestion with some degree of favour.
"I will do all I can to help. Unfortunately, I know next to nothing ofSpain. But I have a friend who knows it from A to Z. I will write tohim and see how I can get her planted there."
Of course, Lady Mary knew that Moreno was the friend. Isobel thankedhim warmly.
"How sweet and dear of you," she said. "Of course you understand, nowmy dear father is gone, there is nothing left but Guy."
Farquhar understood. His cousin had spoken with the unconscious crueltyof the self-centred lover. She had not considered Maurice's feelings atall.
Farquhar rose. "I will write the letter at once, if you will permitme." He turned to Lady Mary, who led him to a small morning-room, andspread paper and envelopes before him.
"You are very fond of Isobel?" he asked, before he began his letter, arather long one, to Moreno.
"I love her like a younger sister, Mr Farquhar," replied Maryenthusiastically. "And, of course, she very soon will be my sister.And, moreover, being a woman, I love all true lovers. She and Guy areso absorbed in each other."
"Ah!" said the youthful barrister shortly. "And you love your brothertoo?"
"Dear old Guy! I simply adore him. He is one of the most lovable ofmen."
Farquhar looked at her a little quizzically. "You have, I should say, amost beautiful nature; you see good in everything and everybody, don'tyou?" Lady Mary shook her head. "No. I am more discriminating thanyou think. I fancy I can always tell the false from the true."
"I wonder how you would reckon me up?"
"I will tell you, if you really wish," was Mary's candid answer.
"Yes, I do wish, honestly."
"You are frightfully, painfully just. You are terribly cautious.And--" She paused, and a faint blush spread over her cheek.
"Don't spoil it, please. Finish what you were going to say. I can seeyou are a very discerning critic."
Mary was a long time before she would answer. Then she turned away, andher blush deepened.
"I should say loyalty and honesty were your greatest characteristics.That you would be a sincere friend and a very generous enemy."
She was leaving the room, but Farquhar darted up and detained her.
"I say, you know, that is the very greatest compliment I have ever hadpaid me," he said, roused from his usual impassivity. "Will you think Iam taking a liberty if I suggest that we shake hands on it?"
"Oh, not at all," said Mary, in a rather fluttering way, as she put herhand in his.
She left the room, and he set about to write his letter to Moreno. Butthe disturbing vision of Lady Mary, with that faint flush on her cheek,appeared several times between the sentences of the rather lengthyepistle. That letter went out by the evening post.
About the same time that these events were happening at the Park,Ferdinand Contraras was taking farewell of his family. He explained tothem that he was going to Spain, he could not say how long he would beaway. It might be a few days, it might be weeks. He had left plenty ofmoney in the bank for their needs.
His wife and daughter watched him out of the house without any signs ofemotion. To these two, who should have been his nearest and dearest, hehad long appeared as a man out of touch with realities.
When the car rolled out of sight, Madame Contraras turned to herdaughter.
"I have a presentiment, Inez, he will never come back. He is going togive his life as well as his fortune to this insane cause."
Inez, who was rather callous, shrugged her shapely shoulders. "Why didyou marry him, mother? He must have been mad then."
"The madness of strong, impetuous youth, my child. I never thought itwould last through middle and old age."
CHAPTER TWELVE.
Contraras embarked on his great mission. Elderly man as he was, thefire of his convictions kept him alert and youthful.
He stayed a day in Madrid; from thence he travelled to Barcelona. Andthen he went on to Fonterrabia.
In the same little cafe, the "Concha," he met several members of thebrotherhood, Zorrilta, specially summoned, Alvedero, Andres Moreno,Violet Hargrave, and Mademoiselle Delmonte.
He opened the proceedings in his sharp, autocratic way. "You havealready had a meeting about this particular _coup_ which I planned inLondon."
The young Frenchwoman spoke eagerly. If ever there was an enthusiast inthe sacred cause, she was one. Ready to be burned or hanged for herprinciples, she had the spirit of the early Christian martyrs.
"We know all about it, Contraras." In the spirit of true democracy,they addressed each other by no formal prefix. "I have undertaken it.It probably means death to me, I can only escape by a miracle, but italso means death to our enemies."
Contraras looked at her approvingly from under his bushy eyebrows."There spoke a true daughter of the Revolution which is to remake theworld. If years had not come upon me, if my eyesight were more keen, myhand more sure, I would not delegate this task to another, lessespecially to a woman."
Zorrilta hastened to observe obsequiously, "We cannot afford to hazardyour precious life, Contraras. You are the head and brain of thisorganisation. The general directs the battle from safe ground. He doesnot go into the firing-line like the common soldier."
Contraras smiled, well pleased. Like most great men, he was verysusceptible to flattery, as easily susceptible as the most despoticmonarch that ever ruled.
"I appreciate your devotion to the cause, your loyalty to myself," hesaid in his most gracious manner. "When this great blow is struck, whenwe make a most terrible example, the echoes of it will reverberatethrough the world. The downtrodden population will arise, theworld-revolution will be in being."
There was a subdued murmur of applause at the conclusion of his speech.Moreno applauded the loudest; somehow Violet Hargrave could never forceherself to be very enthusiastic. Moreno was watching her very narrowly.
Mademoiselle Delmonte spoke. "I cannot say how proud I am to have hadthis task deputed to me." She looked very brave and resolute.
The meeting lasted for over half an hour. Details of the great _coup_were settled. Contraras had a powerful and logical brain. He neverallowed digressions or diversions, he always kept everybody to thepoint. When the meeting broke up two people were very radiant,Contraras, who had planned the _coup_, the enthusiastic ValerieDelmonte, who had undertaken to carry it into execution, with or withoutassistance, as might be determined.
They strolled out from the obscure little cafe one by one. Morenopresently overtook Mrs Hargrave, in her peasant dress. They lodgednear each other; it was natural they should stroll along together in thedirection of their respective homes.
Behind them came Contraras, and the two other men who had joined forcesafter leaving the cafe. Contraras looked after the two young peoplewith those keen eyes which age had not very greatly dimmed.
"The Englishwoman I know well," he whispered to Alvedero. "She is aprotegee, almost an adopted daughter, of our staunch comrade Jaques.What about this Moreno? Is he to be trusted?"
"You know that Lucue vouches for both."
"Ah!" sighed Contraras. "Lucue is a keen judge of men. I have neverknown him make a mistake. But I do not like the English mother."
"And, in the case of Violet Hargrave, you have the English father. Andyet, you have no suspicion of her."
Contraras nodded his massive head, the head with the broad, deep brow ofthe thinker.
"Your remark is just, my friend. I chose Violet Hargrave myself, on therecommendation of my friend Jaques; that, of course, prejudices me inher favour. Moreno was chosen by Lucue. Perhaps I am a little bitjealous of Lucue. And I am growing old."
"No," cried Alvedero, with whole-hearted admiration. "Give you anotherten years yet, and you will still be the brains and leading spirit ofthis organisation. Zorrilta is good, Lucue h
as a touch of genius. Butthere is only one Contraras. Ten years hence you will be our leader, asyou are to-day." And while Contraras and Alvedero were exchanging theseconfidences, Moreno was talking to Violet Hargrave.
"We seem to be engaged in a pretty bloodthirsty business, don't youthink, Mrs Hargrave? Not much in common with Fleet Street, or the flatin Mount Street, eh?"
Violet Hargrave smiled. "We have both come out here to find adventure.Spain is a land of surprises. We shall have plenty of adventure beforewe have done with it."
There was a grim note in the journalist's tones, as he answered: "Onthis particular _coup_, engineered by our great leader, Contraras, itseems to me as likely as not that you and I shall meet our deaths. Theone person who seems perfectly