Fire Below (22 page)

For Sully’s sake I suppressed the obvious retort.

‘Those judges know that she’s here. And I think the superintendent, but I cannot be sure. And the men that took her must know.’

‘Chandos, Chandos,’ cried Sully. ‘I have ways and means of finding the truth in this land. Where she has gone, or why, I cannot tell you. But I will swear to you that she is not here.’

‘I do not say she is in Vigil,’ said I. ‘She may be at the summer palace at Rothenthal. She was driving George Hanbury’s car. Let Bell be waked and go with you to the mews. He’ll know the car when he sees it. And if it is not at the mews, let him go with someone you trust to Rothenthal.’

‘It shall be done,’ said Sully. His hand went into his pocket to bring out an envelope. ‘And now here is the pardon–’

‘I’m sorry, Sully,’ said I. ‘But you know me too well for that.’

‘My dear boy…’

Resolutely I shook my head.

‘I am due at Vardar,’ I said, ‘in four hours’ time. What evidence I shall give there remains to be seen. But I will not discuss the matter until I have seen my wife.’

Sully laid a hand on my shoulder and seemed about to speak. Then he changed his mind and turned to the door.

‘I will come back,’ he said. ‘I am going to get hold of Bell and do as you say.’

When he was gone, I flung myself into a chair and stared at the floor.

Sully was wise. He knew the Prince and the country far better than I. He had his secret agents and he knew what men he could trust. Above all, he loved Leonie. And Sully was satisfied that Leonie was not here. Yet if she was not here, where would she be? She had set out from Littai, because she found my peril so instant that she could no longer endure to be out of touch – as I had feared she would do from the moment that the circus left Vardar, travelling west. That she should return because the Prince would not see her was altogether absurd. Besides, she had not returned. And what telephone call could lure her out of the country when once she was in? All the fear she had known was the fear of being stopped at the frontier – from coming in. More. She would have waited for Sully. She alone knew that he was coming, and all her hope was in him.

I rose to my feet, determined to stick to my guns.

The book kept at Elsa was faked. No telephone call could be traced, because none had been made. These things were the dust to be thrown into Sully’s eyes. Leonie was here.

An hour and a half dragged by before Sully returned.

The man looked pale and worn, and I knew he had failed.

‘Bell is below, Chandos. We have been to the Royal mews and to the summer palace; but the car is not there.’

‘So be it,’ said I. ‘Then it is somewhere else.’

‘I do not believe it,’ cried Sully. ‘You know that I would not deceive you – or let myself be deceived. You know – you must know that I am as anxious as you…that she has been my darling for twenty years.’ He threw himself into a chair and covered his eyes. ‘When I was your age, I carried her in my arms – the loveliest baby-child that ever I saw. She was to be my mistress. Even then it had been arranged that one day those tiny hands should put on the Princess’ crown. I watched her grow into a maiden, and I watched the maiden grow into a queen. And then my dream was shattered. You broke it, Chandos. She was to have been my mistress, and you – you took her away. And when I looked upon my master, I thanked my God. D’you hear? I thanked my God. Thanked him for sending you to save her from such a hideous fate. God made him a Prince. Had my father not seen him in the midwife’s arms I would have doubted it. There are times when I doubt it now…’ He broke off there, his voice thick and shaken with emotion as I had never heard it before. After a little he continued shakily. ‘As Prince, I honour him. But I would give his royal body for a hair of her lovely head.’

‘I know it, Sully,’ said I.

‘I honour the Prince. I serve him. I come to you as his ambassador. At this inquest at Vardar you will hold his name, perhaps his fortune in the hollow of your hand. He is young and headstrong, and the royal wine of sovereignty has gone to his head. In his way he loved the Grand Duchess. For years they had been betrothed. He had come to take her for granted, and his eyes were fixed upon the day when he would be Prince and she would stand by his side. And when you came, and she broke off her engagement – well, the blow might well have unbalanced an older and steadier head. His love was turned to hatred, his pride to bane. Jealousy stung him to madness, and all his thoughts were of vengeance for “the wrong which he had been done”. Then, one day, he noticed Grieg… Grieg had no cause to love you, and Grieg was out of a job… His Royal Highness was the cat’s-paw – you know he is very weak. I was not there. Grieg played upon his baser nature, because it suited his book; and his was the will that rode his Royal Highness from first to last. I cannot defend him, Chandos. Had he not set up Grieg, the harm could not have been done. But Grieg was at once his familiar and his executive, and but for Grieg, he would never have lifted a finger to do you wrong.’

O rare and admirable Sully! Had ever so worthless a master so faithful a servant?

I found myself wondering for the thousandth time how it was that so true a man could endure to bear the standard of so false-hearted a prince. Sully was not ambitious and would have been happy to give up his seals of office and withdraw to some simple life. It was easy to say that having set his hand to the plough, so long as the breath was in him he would not look back. That, no doubt, was the way of his spirit; but what of the flesh?

His hand came to rest upon my shoulder.

‘Chandos, time’s getting on. Tell me your terms.’

I clapped my hands to my head.

‘Sully,’ I cried, ‘don’t press me. Don’t draw the one card I’ve got. I know she’s here.
I know it
. If you could have heard–’

‘Do you think that when the inquest is over I shall rest until she is found? Do you think I could sleep–’

‘Of what use will that be?’ I cried. ‘The Prince can dismiss you – banish you from the country by a stroke of the pen. If you are inconvenient,
he will
. At the moment you are convenient. You alone can act as our go-between. Until the inquest is over, he dare not move. But once I have spared him – once I have saved his face, my hands are empty, and he can send you away.’

‘He would never do that,’ said Sully. ‘I do not pretend he loves me, but the Council rules the country and rules it well. If he dismissed me–’

‘If he has Leonie, he will. You’re the fastest friend here she’s got. Can’t you see my point, Sully? At the moment my foot’s on his neck. I can bring him, if not to ruin, to such disgrace and contempt that he will scarce dare to venture without his gates. He knows it – you’ve pointed it out. Very well. If I’m right, and he has Leonie,
if I make any terms which are not based on her release
, he will have won the rubber and got his way. Do you think he’ll scrap his victory by keeping you on? By keeping on Leonie’s champion, to cramp his style?’

The Lord President looked at his watch and rose to his feet.

‘I will see him again,’ he said. ‘I know it is useless, but I will try again.’

I turned to the window and stood looking out upon the yard.

‘I am sorry,’ I said. ‘I do not want to be unreasonable, and you have travelled all night and have scarcely sat down. If you–’

The sentence was never finished.

The sight of the prison yard had set me thinking, and a fact which I had noted, but never discussed, now rose up, staring and pregnant, to hit me between the eyes.

I was round in a flash, and trembling like any leaf.

‘Sully, I’m right! I’ve got it! I’ve got the proof. Grieg ordered three cars to be in waiting from nine o’clock on. Three cars – on Tuesday evening. I heard his words. When I came here at dawn on Wednesday, they were still waiting down there. I saw them. The drivers were asleep.
But only two of them, Sully. The third was gone
…’

Sully was trembling, as I was.

‘You mean–?’

‘Where was the third?’ I shouted. ‘That’s what I mean. Grieg never summoned it – unless he rang up from hell. I’m right, Sully. I told you. Take Bell to the police-station garage. Have every lock-up open. But if you draw blank, I don’t care. Three cars he ordered. I heard him. “To bring the prisoners in”.’

But Sully was gone.

Though I tried to make a show of tasting the excellent dishes which Sully’s man had procured, after a little I laid my napkin down.

‘I am sorry,’ I said, ‘but I have no appetite. Bring me some fruit, if you will, and give me a cigarette.’

I could see the poor man was upset, but I was beside myself, and, while the food choked me, the ceremony of his service was more than I could endure. And since pacing the room and staring out of the window afforded me no relief, I sat down at a writing table and took up a pen.

Time was short. It would be as well to be ready with such terms as I meant to impose.

By a desperate effort I brought my brain to heel and began to write:

The Inquest to be held at Vardar on August 8th.

In consideration of Richard Chandos’ undertaking to suppress my name and to lead the Court to believe that Grieg was acting in these matters not by my express orders, as in fact he was, but solely on his own account, I promise:–

(1) To be officially represented at the funeral of the murdered girl by one of my lords-in-waiting.

(2) To order and attend in person and in state a service of thanksgiving for the preservation of Leonie, Grand Duchess of Riechtenburg. This service to be held in the Cathedral Church of Vigil on Saturday next.

(3) Never to interfere with the liberty of the Grand Duchess again.

(4) To post sentries drawn from her Highness’ Regiment at the house of the Countess Dresden and to put a royal car at her Highness’ disposal until further notice.

(5) To reinstate immediately the Countess Dresden of Salm and never to molest her or permit her to be molested again.

(6) To grant and issue safe-conducts to the Grand Duchess, Richard Chandos, George Hanbury and their servants. These safe-conducts to be handed to Richard Chandos within the hour.

(7) To make over to Richard Chandos my wolf-hound called ‘Aster’.

(8) To promote to the rank of inspector Detective-sergeant — and to maintain him in that rank.

(9) To pay to the police of Sallust the sum of five hundred pounds from my privy purse.

(10) To send to Ramon the smith, of Gola, a letter of indemnity signed by my own hand.

Such was my agitation that the drafting of these conditions took me a very long time, but the exercise had its value, for at least it fobbed off the emotions to which I was now a prey.

Fear, hope, impatience and a shocking thirst for revenge fought between themselves for my possession as never before, and when my composition hung fire, fell upon my halting head-piece as curs upon a cur that is sick.

The forged telegram, the spy at Littai, the detention of the Countess, the efforts to prevent my escape – these things were all of a piece with a wilful and wicked attempt to bring Leonie into the land and into its ruler’s power. I was a prize, certainly: but the horrid excitement shown by his Royal Highness the instant that Grieg had hinted that Leonie was on her way was most significant, and his outburst the day before rammed home the beastly truth. He hated me, but he hated Leonie more. She was lovely and worshipful – and she had ‘turned him down’. She had declined a crown, because she could not endure to be his wife. And the country he ruled knew this and loved her no whit the less. He might be Prince of Riechtenburg, but she would ‘always be the queen of our hearts’. His hatred had fed upon these things for nearly a year. Then Leonie had come to Littai, and Sully had gone away…

When I considered these things, I entered that state of mind in which I had put Grieg to death. My strength seemed to be resistless, and I could have sought the palace, forced my way into the presence and wrung the truth from the fellow with my hands on his sacred throat. Because this course was denied me, my passion fed upon my flesh, to set me shaking and sweating and staring before me like a madman cooped in his cell. Indeed, there were times when I thought I must lose my mind, for the vials of wrath seemed to be flowing over because they were not poured out.

Some clock struck two.

In half an hour I should be due to leave for Vardar, if not before.

The sands were running out.

If Sully failed again, what should I do? I had broken one of his dreams. Was I to break another and bring the throne he had done so much to dignify into contempt? What if I did – and then found Leonie at Bariche, alive and well? I must be fair with Sully: but I must first be sure that I was being fair with myself.

I read through my ‘terms’ again, folded up the paper and put it away.

Then the door was flung open, and the officer the Prince had called ‘Candel’ was ushered into the room.

Something to my surprise, his hand went up to his cap in a formal salute.

‘I am commanded, sir, to ask you to come with me.’

For a moment I sat irresolute.

This was the Prince’s man.

I glanced at the open door, to see the detective-sergeant that I had come to know. Our eyes met, and while I was looking at him, he nodded his head.

At once I rose to my feet.

‘Lead the way, please,’ I said.

As I passed the sergeant, I asked his name…

The passages seemed unending, but presently we left them behind and came to a carpeted corridor, very wide and lit by electric light. On one side of this were so many doors in the wall, and on the other, recesses with doors in each of their sides. There were, I think, five recesses, but when we came to the fourth, Candel entered and opened the right-hand door. Then he stood back and saluted, and I passed into the court in which I had stood my trial the day before.

But this time I was ushered on to the dais, and there, half sitting on the arm of one of the chairs, was Leonie.

As the door closed behind me, she flung her arms round my neck…

I do not know how long it was before I could find my voice, but when I had done so, I could only say over her name.

‘Leonie, Leonie.’

‘I had to come, Richard. I had to.’

‘I know,’ I said. ‘I would have done the same.’

‘You’d have come before, Richard. I waited six awful days.’

‘You’re safe and sound, Leonie?’

‘Yes, yes, But they were ready. There was a spy at Littai – I threw him off the scent. I let him believe I was going in by the path. But they held me up at Elsa for half an hour, and I hadn’t been gone five minutes when a police car met and ditched me on one of the bends. I knew it was a trap –
knew it
. But what could I do? They pretended they were frightfully sorry and put the car at my disposal to go where I pleased. I simply had to risk it. And once I was in, I found the doors had no handles upon the inside.’

‘But you stayed at the Lessing Strasse?’

Leonie shook her head.

‘They brought me straight to this building, and I’ve never been out.’

Another door was opened, the curtains were parted, and Sully came into the court.

He stepped to Leonie and put her hand to his lips.

‘I thank God, madam,’ he said, ‘that your husband is stronger than I. He has saved the light of my eyes.’

Leonie took both his hands.

‘We both thank God, Sully, for the finest friend in the world.’

‘For a broken reed, madam.’ The fine head went down. ‘I took my master’s word.’

‘As you were bound to do. But between you and me there is no need of oaths. I’m sorry not to be your Princess, but I am very glad to be the light of your eyes.’

She put up her mouth and kissed him, and poor Sully held her and kept calling her ‘his darling’ and whispering ‘Thank God.’

Then he let her go and stood back and folded his hands.

‘I have come for your terms, Chandos. I am, of course, quite helpless. But if I held a sword in my hand, I have told his Royal Highness that I would break it in two. Ask what you please, and I will make it my business to see that your price is paid.’

In silence I sat to the table and copied my document out. When I had blotted the writing–

‘Let him sign that,’ I said, ‘and return it to me.

I like to remember that Sully never looked at the sheet. He simply nodded and took it and left the room.

Five minutes later he was back, and, if further proof were needed, I knew that the Prince must have been but a few yards off, for the signature
Paul P
. was not yet dry.

I blotted it carefully.

Then I put away the paper and handed Sully the draft.

‘You will need that,’ said I, ‘to be sure that the terms are fulfilled.’

The Lord President took it with a smile which came nearer to being grim than any I ever saw come into his gentle face.

‘I read them aloud to him,’ he said. ‘I do not think either of us will forget them so long as we live.’

Five minutes later Leonie and I were in the Rolls, which Bell was driving to Vardar as hard as he could. By his side sat Jameson, prim and correct as ever, despite his two days in jail.

And as we went, I told my darling of Lelia and how she had lived and died.

Of our reception at Vardar I scarcely know how to speak.

Despite our solemn errand, the demonstration of affection for Leonie was so moving and played such havoc with the feelings that I did not know where to look, while Bell and Jameson had tears running down their cheeks.

This may sound foolish, and not the way of grown men, but I can only say that such as have not been subjected to such an ordeal can have no idea at all of the onslaught upon the emotions which such a demonstration provokes. Indeed, when later I mentioned the matter to Marya, she seemed surprised to find me so simple and said at once that royalties themselves and those in attendance upon them were specially schooled to subdue the impulse to weep which any outburst of loyalty was bound to excite.

Of the inquest there is little to be said, except that I kept my word and made Grieg out the author of all the ill that was done: and if, as I think, it was suspected that the Prince’s hands were not clean, that was due to his reputation and not to any word that fell from my lips.

My arrest I alleged was due to Grieg’s false deposition that I was practising treason against the throne – a charge of which, I avowed, I had now been formally cleared. And if I suppressed some truths which might have startled the Court, I think that those I made known were shocking enough.

Indeed, I had but one aim – to dignify Lelia’s memory as it deserved, raise her a monument which no weather could ever corrupt and make the fair name by which I knew her a household word. Whilst I was seeking to render this poor return, Leonie watched by the side of her beautiful deputy and only came down when I had spoken, to tell of the spy at Littai and how she had led him to think that she would seek to go in by way of the bridle-path.

Whether his Royal Highness read the report of the inquest I cannot tell, but if he did so, I cannot believe that the last of Leonie’s statement failed to bring a blush to his cheek.

‘By virtue of the position which Major Grieg so much abused, he was able to intercept the calls which I naturally made upon my cousin, the Prince. When his Royal Highness was made aware of the conspiracy, his indignation was great, but, since the principal is dead, he has graciously consented to pardon those others who were so foolish as to become accessories.’

Long before the proceedings were over, I was brought the six safe-conducts which I had required, and, when the business was done and a verdict of wilful murder had been brought in against ‘the late Major Grieg’, I sent out a note to Bell and we left the inn by a garden which lay at the back of the house.

The Coroner overtook us and led us to where he lived, and there we received the wolf-hound, who seemed very pleased to see me and took to Leonie at once. Then Bell came up with the Rolls, and five minutes later we left for the Sabre estate.

I stopped the car in the drive at the spot at which Lelia had crossed it almost at this same hour two days before: and there Leonie and I alighted to walk to the mill.

As before, the sun was low, the clean, sweet air was radiant, and the steadfast peace of the landscape ministered to my mind. Beneath this influence, the memory of Lelia took on the semblance of a dream, and ever since then I have constantly asked myself whether Fate did not hear my wife’s prayers and lay upon Lelia’s shoulders her precious mantle of love. It cannot, I think, be denied that Lelia took my wife’s place and played out that very part which, had she been present, Leonie would have played: and it will be remembered that I never set eyes upon Lelia till Bell had reported to Leonie and made her suspense too heavy for her to bear. From that time on her one idea was to be with me, and help me and save my life: and all these things Lelia did.

With her eyes on the wolf-hound before us—

‘You are thinking of Lelia,’ said Leonie.

‘Yes,’ said I. ‘At least, I am thinking of you both. I cannot separate her from you, and I have a curious feeling that what she did she did at your instance because you could not do it yourself.’

‘I think you must have loved her,’ said Leonie, taking my arm. ‘I do not see how you could have helped it.’

‘No,’ said I. ‘I never loved her. I could not, because of you. There is no word for the feeling I had for her. “Like” is useless: and “fond” is not what I want. I am “very fond of” Marya, but Lelia touched my heart.’

‘I do not mind if you loved her, my darling.’

‘I know. I would tell you, if I had. But I did not, because I could not: and I could not, because of you. It is no credit to me – I felt very badly about it. For all she gave, I had nothing to give her back.’

Leonie stooped to gather a flower.

‘She was very lovely,’ she said, and set the flower in my coat.

‘She was,’ said I, ‘and she had the prettiest ways. But though I could feel her charm, I could not answer it, my darling, because I have kissed your lips.’

She put up her precious hands and set them about my head.

‘I wish I had known her,’ she said. ‘She took my place. But I would not call her back, if I could. For her sake – not for my own. She died in your arms.’