按键盘上方向键 ← 或 → 可快速上下翻页，按键盘上的 Enter 键可回到本书目录页，按键盘上方向键 ↑ 可回到本页顶部！
————未阅读完？加入书签已便下次继续阅读！
you who came to us a deliverer； and turned out to be a lying prophet。
'Hell；' he repeated fiercely； 〃and may you find it swiftly。〃
The man's right hand came out of his long pocket。 They were in the
thick of Piccadilly； but his action was too swift for any
interference。 Four reports rang suddenly out； and the muzzle of
the revolver was held deliberately within an inch or so of Brett's
heart。 And before even the nearest of the bystanders could realise
what had happened Brott lay across the pavement a dead man； and
Hedley was calmly handing over the revolver to a policeman who had
sprang across the street。
〃Be careful； officer；〃 he said； 〃there are still two chambers loaded。
I will come with you quite quietly。 That is Mr。 Reginald Brott； the
Cabinet Minister； and I have killed him。〃
CHAPTER XL
For once；〃 Lady Carey said； with a faint smile； 〃your 'admirable
Crichton' has failed you。〃
Lucille opened her eyes。 She had been leaning back amongst the
railway cushions。
〃I think not；〃 she said。 〃Only I blame myself that I ever trusted
the Prince even so far as to give him that message。 For I know
very well that if Victor had received it he would have been here。〃
Lady Carey took up a great pile of papers and looked them carelessly
through。
〃I am afraid；〃 she said； 〃that I do not agree with you。 I do not
think that Saxe Leinitzer had any desire except to see you safely
away。 I believe that he will be quite as disappointed as you are
that your husband is not here to aid you。 Some one must see you
safely on the steamer at Havre。 Perhaps he will come himself。〃
〃I shall wait in Paris；〃 Lucille said quietly； 〃for my husband。〃
〃You may wait；〃 Lady Carey said； 〃for a very long time。〃
Lucille looked at her steadily。 〃What do you mean？〃
〃What a fool you are； Lucille。 If to other people it seems almost
certain on the face of it that you were responsible for that drop
of poison in your husband's liqueur glass； why should it not seem
so to himself？〃
Lucille laughed； but there was a look of horror in her dark eyes。
〃How absurd。 I know Victor better than to believe him capable of
such a suspicion。 Just as he knows me better than to believe me
capable of such an act。〃
〃Really。 But you were in his rooms secretly just before。〃
〃I went to leave some roses for him；〃 Lucille answered。 〃And if
you would like to know it； I will tell you this。 I left my card
tied to them with a message for him。〃
Lady Carey yawned。
〃A remarkably foolish thing to do；〃 she said。 〃That may cause you
trouble later on。 Great heavens； what is this？〃
She held the evening paper open in her hand。 Lucille leaned over
with blanched face。
〃What has happened？〃 she cried。 〃Tell me； can't you！〃
〃Reginald Brott has been shot in Piccadilly；〃 Lady Carey said。
〃Is he hurt？〃 Lucille asked。
〃He is dead！〃
They read the brief announcement together。 The deed had been
committed by a man whose reputation for sanity had long been
questioned； one of Brott's own constituents。 He was in custody；
and freely admitted his guilt。 The two women looked at one another
in horror。 Even Lady Carey was affected。
〃What a hateful thing；〃 she said。 〃I am glad that we had no hand
in it。〃
〃Are you so sure that we hadn't？〃 Lucille asked bitterly。 〃You see
what it says。 The man killed him because of his political apostasy。
We had something to do with that at least。〃
Lady Carey was recovering her sang froid。
〃Oh； well；〃 she said； 〃indirect influences scarcely count； or one
might trace the causes of everything which happens back to an absurd
extent。 If this man was mad he might just as well have shot Brott
for anything。〃
Lucille made no answer。 She leaned back and closed her eyes。 She
did not speak again till they reached Dover。
They embarked in the drizzling rain。 Lady Carey drew a little
breath of relief as they reached their cabin； and felt the boat
move beneath them。
〃Thank goodness that we are really off。 I have been horribly
nervous all the time。 If they let you leave England they can have
no suspicion as yet。〃
Lucille was putting on an ulster and cap to go out on deck。
〃I am not at all sure；〃 she said； 〃that I shall not return to
England。 At any rate； if Victor does not come to me in Paris I
shall go to him。〃
〃What beautiful trust！〃 Lady Carey answered。 〃My dear Lucille； you
are more like a school…girl than a woman of the world。〃
A steward entered with a telegram for Lucille。 It was banded in at
the Haymarket； an hour before their departure。 Lucille read it； and
her face blanched。 〃I thank you for your invitation； but I fear
that it would not be good for my health。 … S。〃
Lady Carey looked over her shoulder。 She laughed hardly。
〃How brutal！〃 she murmured。 〃But； then； Victor can be brutal
sometimes； can't he？〃
Lucille tore it into small pieces without a word。 Lady Carey
waited for a remark from her in vain。
〃I； too；〃 she said at last； 〃have had some telegrams。 I have been
hesitating whether to show them to you or not。 Perhaps you had
better see them。〃
She produced them and spread them out。 The first was dated about
the same time as the one Lucille had received。
〃Have seen S。 with message from Lucille。 Fear quite useless； as
he believes worst。〃
The second was a little longer。
〃Have just heard S。 has left for Liverpool； and has engaged berth in
Campania； sailing to…morrow。 Break news to Lucille if you think well。
Have wired him begging return； and promising full explanation。〃
〃If these；〃 Lucille said calmly； 〃belonged to me I should treat them
as I have my own。〃
〃What do you mean？〃
〃I should tear them up。〃
Lady Carey shrugged her shoulders with the air of one who finds
further argument hopeless。
〃I shall have no more to say to you； Lucille； on this subject；〃 she
said。 〃You are impossible。 In a few days you will be forced to
come round to my point of view。 I will wait till then。 And in the
meantime； if you think I am going to tramp up and down those sloppy
decks and gaze at the sea you are very much mistaken。 I am going
to lie down like a civilized being； and try and get a nap。 You had
better do the same。〃
Lucille laughed。
〃For my part；〃 she said； 〃I find any part of the steamer except the
deck intolerable。 I am going now in search of some fresh air。
Shall I send your woman along？〃
Lady Carey nodded； for just then the steamer gave a violent lurch；
and she was not feeling talkative。 Lucille went outside and walked
up and down until the lights of Calais were in sight。 All the time
she felt conscious of the observation of a small man clad in a huge
mackintosh； whose peaked cap completely obscured his features。 As
they were entering the harbour she purposely stood by his side。 He
held on to the rail with one hand and turned towards her。
〃It has been quite a rough passage； has it not？〃 he remarked。
She nodded。
〃I have crossed；〃 she said； 〃when it has been much worse。 I do not
mind so long as one may come on deck。〃
〃Your friend；〃 he remarked； 〃is perhaps not so good a sailor？〃
〃I believe；〃 Lucille said； 〃that she suffers a great deal。 I just
looked in at her； and she was certainly uncomfortable。〃
The little man gripped the rail and held on to his cap with the
other hand。
〃You are going to Paris？〃 he asked。
Lucille nodded。
〃Yes。〃
They were in smoother water now。 He was able to relax his grip of
the rail。 He turned towards Lucille； and she saw him for the first
time distinctly … a thin； wizened…up little man； with shrewd kindly
eyes； and a long deeply cut mouth。
〃I trust；〃 he said； 〃that you will not think me impertinent； but it
occurred to me that you have noticed some apparent interest of mine
in your movements since you arrived on the boat。〃
Lucille nodded。
〃It is true；〃 she answered。 〃That is why I came and stood by your
side。 What do you want with me？〃
〃Nothing； madam；〃 he answered。 〃I am here altogether in your
interests。 If you should want help I shall be somewhere near you
for the next few hours。 Do not hesitate to appeal to me。 My
mission here is to be your protector should you need o