The Lady in the Car Part 21

Half aristocratic Florence--those stiff-backed Italian d.u.c.h.esses and countesses with their popinjay, over-dressed male appendages--envied Jack Cross his intimate acquaintance with the Crown-Princess of Bosnia, who, in winter, lived at the magnificent villa on the Viale dei Colli, overlooking the town. Towards Italian society her royal Highness turned the cold shoulder. The Emperor had no love for Italy, or the Italians, and it was at his orders that she kept herself absolutely to herself.

On rare occasions, she would give a small garden-party or dinner to a dozen or so of the most prominent men and women in the city. But it was not often that they were asked, and beyond three or four people in Florence her Highness had no friends there. But part of her school-days had been spent in the big convent up at Fiesole, therefore it had been her whim after her marriage, to purchase that beautiful villa with its gorgeous rooms, marble terraces, and lovely gardens as a winter home.

And to that splendid house the Prince, alias Jack Cross, was always a welcome guest. He went there daily, and when not there, her Highness would amuse herself by chattering to him over the telephone to his office.

Envied by the society who would not know him because he was not an aristocrat, and with the sharp eye of the Florentine middle-cla.s.ses upon him, little wonder was it that whispers were soon going about regarding the Princess's too frequent confidences with the unknown Englishman.

He was watched whenever he rang at the great iron gate before which stood an Italian sentry day and night, and he was watched when he emerged. In the clubs, in the salons, in the shops, in the _cafes_, the gossip soon became common, and often with a good deal of imaginary embroidery.

It was true that he often dined at the Villa Renata with her Highness, the young Countess von Wilberg, the lady-in-waiting, and the old Countess Lahovary, a Roumanian, who had been lady-in-waiting to her mother the Empress, and in whose charge she always was when outside Bosnia. The evenings they often spent in the drawing-room, Her Highness being a good pianist. And on many a night she would rise, take her shawl, and pa.s.s out into the bright Italian moonlight with the young Englishman as her escort.

It was the way they pa.s.sed nearly every evening--in each other's company. Yet neither of her companions dare suggest a cessation of the young man's visits, fearing to arouse the Princess's anger, and receive their dismissal.

At risk of gossip her Imperial Highness often invited him to go for runs with her in her fine forty "Fiat" to Siena, to Bologna, or to Pisa, accompanied always, of course, by the Countess Lahovary. In those days he pretended not to possess a car, though he could drive one, and on many occasions he drove the Princess along those white dusty Italian highways. She loved motoring, and so did he. Indeed, he knew quite as much regarding the engine as any mechanic.

The Crown Prince hardly, if ever, came to Florence. His father, the King, was not on the best of terms with the Italian Court, therefore he made that an excuse for his absence in Paris, where, according to report his life was not nearly as creditable as it might have been.

Such were the circ.u.mstances in which, by slow degrees, her Highness found herself admiring and loving the quiet una.s.suming but good-looking young Englishman at whom everybody sneered because, to save himself from penury, he had accepted the managership of a trading concern.

Prince Albert himself saw it all, and recognised the extreme peril of the situation.

Born in the purple as the woman who had entranced him had been, she held public opinion in supreme contempt, and time after time had a.s.sured Jack that even if people talked and misconstrued their platonic friendship she was entirely heedless of their wicked untruths and exaggerations.

That afternoon was another example of her recklessness in face of her enemies.

She had invited up a few people to take tea and eat strawberries in the grounds, while a military band performed under the trees near by. But quickly tiring of the obsequiousness of her guests, she had motioned Cross aside, and in a low voice said in English: "For heaven's sake, Jack, take me away from these awful people. The women are hags, and the men tailors' dummies. Let us walk down to the rosary."

And he, bowing as she spoke, turned and walked at her side, well knowing that by taking her from her guests he was increasing the hatred already felt against him.

In her heart she loved this unknown hardworking young Englishman, while he was held captive beneath her beauty, spell-bound by the music of her voice, thrilled by the touch of the soft hand which he kissed each day at greeting her, and each evening when they parted.

Yes, people talked. Cross knew they did. Men had told him so. Max and the Parson had heard all sorts of wild gossip, and had sent him a letter telling him that he was an idiot. They wanted to handle the American woman's diamonds. They were not in Florence for sentimental reasons.

The report had even reached his old aunt's ears, and she had administered to him a very severe reprimand, to which he had listened without a single word of protest, except that he denied, and denied most emphatically, that he was the Princess's lover. He was her friend, that was all.

True, she was lonely and alone there in gay Florence, the City of Flowers. Sarajevo, her own capital she hated, she had often said. "It is pleasant, my dear Jack, to be in dear old Firenze," she had declared only the previous evening as they had walked and talked together in the white moonlight. "But doubly pleasant to be near such a good, true friend as you are to me."

"I do but what is my duty, Princess," he replied in a low voice. "You have few friends here. But I am, I hope, one who is loyal and true."

Those words of his crossed her mind as they strolled away from the music and the guests that warm May afternoon, strolled on beneath the blossoms, and amid the great profusion of flowers. She glanced again at his serious thoughtful face, and sighed within herself. What were t.i.tles, imperial birth, power, and the servility of the people, to love?

Why was she not born a commoner, and allowed to taste the sweets of life, that even the most obscure little waiting-maid or seamstress were allowed. Every woman of the people could seek Love and obtain it. But to her, she reflected bitterly, it was denied--because she was not of common clay, but an Emperor's daughter, and destined to become a reigning queen!

Together they walked along the cool cypress avenue; he tall, clean-limbed in his suit of white linen and panama. But they strolled on in silence, beyond the gaze of their enemies.

"You seem to fear what these wretched gossips may say concerning us, Jack," she said at last, raising her eyes to his. "Why should you?"

"I fear for your sake, Princess," he answered. "You have all to lose-- honour, name, husband--everything. For me--what does it matter? I have no reputation. I ceased to have that two years ago when I left England--bankrupt."

"Poor Jack!" she sighed, in her quaint, childlike way. "I do wish you were wealthy, for you'd be so much happier, I suppose. It must be hard to be poor," she added--she who knew nothing of the value of money, and scarcely ever spent any herself, her debts and alms being paid by palace secretaries.

"Yes," he laughed. "And has it never struck you as strange that you, an Imperial Princess, should be a friend of a man who's a bankrupt--an outsider like myself?" and an ugly thought flashed through his mind causing him to wince.

"And have you not always shown yourself my friend, Jack? Should I not be ungrateful if I were not your friend in return?" she asked.

They halted almost unconsciously half way along the cypress avenue, and stood facing each other.

Prince Albert of Hesse-Holstein was struggling within himself. He loved this beautiful woman with all his heart, and all his soul. Yet he knew himself to be treading dangerous ground.

Their first acquaintance had been a purely accidental one three years ago. Her Highness was driving in the Ringstra.s.se, in Vienna, when her horses suddenly took fright at a pa.s.sing motor-car and bolted. Jack, who was pa.s.sing, managed to dash out and stop them, but in doing so was thrown down and kicked on the head. He was taken to the hospital, and not until a fortnight afterwards was he aware of the ident.i.ty of the pretty woman in the carriage. Then, on his recovery, he was commanded to the palace and thanked personally by the Princess and by her father, the grey-bearded Emperor.

From that day the Princess Angelica had never lost sight of him. When she had married he had endeavoured to end their acquaintance, but she would not hear of it. And so he had drifted along, held completely beneath her spell.

He was her confidant, and on many occasions performed in secret little services for her. Their friendship, purely platonic, was firm and fast, and surely no man was ever more loyal to a woman than was the young Englishman, who was, after all, only an audacious adventurer.

In the glorious sunset of the brilliant Tuscan day they stood there in silence. At last he spoke.

"Princess," he exclaimed, looking straight into her eyes. "Forgive me for what I am about to say. I have long wished to say it, but had not the courage. I--well, you cannot tell the bitterness it causes me to speak, but I have decided to imperil you no longer. I am leaving Florence."

She looked at him in blank surprise.

"Leaving Florence!" she gasped. "What do you mean, Jack?"

"I mean that I must do so--for your sake," was his answer. "The world does not believe that a woman can have a man friend. I--I yesterday heard something."

"What?"

"That the Prince has set close watch upon us."

"Well, and what of that? Do we fear?"

"We do not fear the truth, Princess. It is the untruth of which we are in peril."

"Then Ferdinand is jealous!" she remarked as though speaking to herself.

"Ah! that is distinctly amusing!"

"My friendship with you has already caused a scandal in this gossip-loving city," he pointed out. "It is best for you that we should part. Remember the difference in our stations. You are of blood-royal--while I--" and he hesitated. How could he tell her the ghastly truth?

She was silent for a few moments, her beautiful face very grave and thoughtful. Well, alas! she knew that if this man left her side the sun of her young life would have set for ever.

"But--but Jack--you are my friend, are you not?"

"How can you ask that?"

"Ah! yes. Forgive me. I--I know--you risked your life to save mine.

You--"

"No, no," he cried, impatiently. "Don't let's talk of the past. Let us look at the future, and let us speak plainly. We are old friends enough for that, Princess."

"Angelica," she said, correcting him.