"Baroness von Lynar, you and I are old friends," he said hastily.
"I value your friendship above all things, Your Majesty, and would keep it at any cost."
"Then keep something else for me as well; a secret—though it may not 209 be a secret long. You have seen me with Miss de Courcy. And you have guessed something, perhaps?"
"Women are ever quick to jump at romantic conclusions. But——"
"I am answered. A moment has come when I must choose between speaking frankly with you or leaving you to suspect what you will. I choose frankness. There's nearly an hour yet before the Orient express leaves Salzbrück, and you say Miss de Courcy is going with it. I can't let her go without seeing her again. I want—but you know what I want."
"You want your horse and your aide-de-camp's horse saddled; you want to ride away now, at once, to catch the train before it leaves the station; and you want me to give some plausible reason which will account to every one for your sudden departure. Anything, so that it is not connected with Miss de Courcy. Am I right?"
"Absolutely. If I get off in a quarter of an hour, I can just do it."
"I will slip into the house, Your Majesty, and send a servant at once 210 to the stables. Captain von Loewenstein shall be summoned, and you can be on the road in ten minutes."
"I'll go with you to the house, my friend."
"Everybody shall be given to understand that you are called away from Lynarberg on pressing business, but that you expect to return in the afternoon. If you find it best not to come, send a wire saying that you are detained. All will be deeply disappointed; but no one will guess the truth, and more than that, no one will talk."