Part 14 (1/2)
”That is not true,” she replied. ”It will never be true.”
”I am glad,” he declared fervently.
There was a brief pause. Both seemed conscious of a renewal of that air of disturbance which had reigned between them during their first few moments alone. It was Naida who made an effort to restore their conversation to its former tone.
”If Germany has any scheme against this country,” she said, ”believe me, it will not be so obvious as you seem to think. It will be a scheme which can only be carried out with the a.s.sistance of other countries, and that a.s.sistance is not yet wholly promised. I cannot betray to you my knowledge of certain things,” she went on, after a moment's hesitation, ”but I can at least give you this warning. It is not for his health alone that Prince Shan is flying from China to Paris. If there is a single member of your Government who has the least apprehension of world politics, now is the time for action.”
”There is no one,” Nigel answered gloomily.
The box was suddenly invaded. Karetsky reappeared with several other men. In the rear of the little procession came Immelan. His face darkened as he recognised Nigel. Naida looked across at him with a slight frown upon her forehead.
”You have changed your mind?” she remarked. ”I thought you were for Paris to-night?”
”A fortunate chance intervened,” Immelan replied.
”Fortunate?”
Immelan watched Nigel's retreating figure with a menacing frown.
”I find it so,” he replied. ”Our wonderful prima donna is in great voice to-night--and I like to be prepared for all possible combinations.”
CHAPTER XI
Maggie came suddenly into the library at Belgrave Square, where Jesson, Chalmers and Nigel were talking together. She carried in her hand a note, which she handed to the latter.
”Naida is a dear, after all,” she declared. ”There is one person at least who does not wish to have me pa.s.s away in a German nursing home or fall a victim to Frau Essendorf's cooking.”
Nigel read the note aloud. It consisted of only a sentence or two and was dated from the Milan Court that morning:
Maggie dear, this is just a line of advice from your friend. You must not go back to Germany.
Naida.
”I fear,” Maggie sighed, ”that my little expedition is scotched, even if I had been able to persuade you others to let me go. Every one seems to have made up their mind that I shall not go to Germany. It will be such a disappointment to those flaxen-haired atrocities, Gertrud and Bertha.
Their so-much-loved Miss Brown can never return to them again.”
”In any case, the game was scarcely worth the candle,” Nigel observed.
”We have already all the evidence we require that some scheme inimical to this country is being proposed and fostered by Immelan. Our next move must be to find out the nature of this scheme--whether it be naval, military, or political. I don't think Essendorf would be at all likely to give away any more interesting information in the domestic circle.”
”What are we all going to do, then?” Maggie asked.
”We are met here to discuss it,” Nigel replied. ”Jesson is off to Russia this afternoon. I asked him to come round and have a few last words with us, in case there was anything to suggest for us stay-at-homes.”
”We shall have to rely very largely upon luck,” Jesson declared. ”There are three places, in any of which we might discover what we want to know. One is Kroten, another is Paris, provided that Prince Shan really goes there, and the third London.”
”London?” Maggie repeated.
”There are two people in London,” Jesson declared, ”who know everything we are seeking to discover. One is Immelan and the other Naida Karetsky.”