The Traitors Part 16

There was a short silence. Then she raised her eyes to his.

"Your own sisters?" she asked. "Are they, too, such as you describe?"

Brand smiled faintly.

"I have only one sister," he said, "and she is married. But my own people would scarcely count--from your point of view."

She looked at him, faintly puzzled.

"You mean," she asked, "that you are not of n.o.ble birth?"

He shook his head.

"By no means! My father was a physician, and I myself write for the newspapers!"

"But you spoke of Prince Ughtred," she remarked, "as your friend."

He smiled.

"In England," he explained, "all these things are regarded very differently. We are a very democratic nation, and Prince Ughtred, you must remember, is half an Englishman."

She was silent. He had an absurd fancy that she was disappointed--that her momentary interest in him was gone. He was angry with himself for the idea, angry with himself also for the effort which his little speech had cost him. In England he counted himself a Radical, almost a Socialist, and would have laughed to scorn the idea that the slightest possible barrier could exist between men and women of unequal birth.

But out here, in the presence of this girl who spoke her mind so simply, yet with such absolute conviction, he seemed to have come into touch with a new order! The aristocracy which was to her as a creed was a real and a live thing! He almost justified her in his mind. What was surely a fallacy in England might be truth here.

The silence was prolonged. Then he glanced up to find her watching him with a slight smile curving her lips.

"To you," she said, "I must seem very old-fashioned. Oh, yes, I can understand your point of view. If I have not travelled I have at least read, and your English books make these things clear enough. But here we are surrounded with the old customs. It is not possible to escape from them. We are almost mediaeval."

"I am looking forward to studying your country closely," he said.

"What I have seen of it has charmed me. So far I have come across but one thing which I would gladly change."

"And that?" she asked.

"Is the uniform of the Thetian Guards," he answered, turning slightly in his chair. "I must confess that my body was never made for such gorgeousness."

She laughed and struck the gong.

"Basil will show you to my brother's room," she said. "Wear any of his clothes you choose."

He rose with alacrity.

"You will be safe--alone?" he asked, with a doubtful glance towards the door.

She shrugged her shoulders.

"Domiloff has courage, I believe, of a sort," she answered, "but not enough to bring him uninvited across the threshold of this house in my brother's absence."

He followed the servant from the room, and was shown into a bedchamber of huge proportions. He changed his clothes as quickly as possible for those which were tendered to him, and returned to the room where he had left the Countess. She welcomed him with a smile which she tried in vain to suppress.

"You must forgive me," she said, as their eyes met. "Indeed, it is hard to avoid a smile. My brother is of slight stature, and you are very tall,--is it not so?"

"Oh, I don't mind," he answered, good-humouredly, conscious that his trousers terminated at the ankle, and that the seams of his unb.u.t.toned coat were bursting. "I should be comfortable in anything since I have got rid of that sword and the other thing like a satchel which kept tripping me up. The management of a woman's train has always seemed to me an accomplishment, but it is nothing compared with the difficulty of walking like a soldier with those things whacking at your ankles every few moments. One thing I can promise you and myself, Countess.

If Domiloff and the whole lot of them catch me nothing would induce me to put on that uniform again."

"It was very becoming," she said, smilingly.

"You are making fun of me," he declared, reproachfully.

"Indeed I meant it," she a.s.sured him. "I never doubted but that you were Ughtred of Tyrnaus!"

He felt absurdly pleased. There was a note of regret too in her tone.

Then, as though with some effort she addressed him more formally.

"You need have no fear," she said, "that Domiloff will find you here.

Neither he nor any of his creatures dare force their way into this house. All that we must pray for now is the speedy coming of Nicholas and the Prince."

Almost as she spoke they heard quick footsteps upon the corridor outside. The door was thrown open.

CHAPTER XIV

Nicholas of Reist, closely followed by Prince Ughtred, strode into the room. Marie uttered a little cry of joy--Brand drew a long sigh of relief.

"Nicholas, at last!" she cried.

He seized her hands and drew her to him. Then he turned to Ughtred.

"You will not recognize your old playmate, Prince," he said. "Marie, this is Prince Ughtred of Tyrnaus."

He bowed low before her, and she murmured a few words of greeting.

Then both Nicholas of Reist and Ughtred saw Brand standing underneath the great chimneypiece.

"Brand!" the former cried. "Brand! How in G.o.d's name did you find your way here?"

Brand smiled enigmatically.

"Listen," he said, "and I will tell you."

They stood grouped around him. He told his story tersely yet fully.

When he had finished there was a moment's breathless silence. He pointed to the door.

"You have not a moment to lose," he exclaimed. "The people are bewildered now, soon they will become impatient. The uniform is in the room where I changed. Let Prince Ughtred put it on and speak to the people from your balcony. It will turn Domiloff's hair grey, but he is powerless. Listen!"

Once more brother and sister exchanged quick glances. Once more the men of Theos, as with one throat, shouted for Nicholas of Reist. Marie looked curiously towards the Prince. He was handsomer than Brand, broader and of finer presence. Yet her eyes narrowed with something which was akin to hate. In her heart she believed that her brother was making a great mistake. It was a Reist this people wanted, not one of his corrupt race.