“Then take a couple of men as soon as we are mounted and rattle off across country and cut them, and rejoin us with all possible speed. You will easily overtake the carriage;” and the moment we met our men he started to carry out the plan.
I then arranged the order of our ride. I left Spernow in command of the greater number of men, with orders to follow in straggling formation until we had passed through Liublian; then they were to close up and keep the carriage in sight. One man was to ride about a mile or so in the rear to watch for any signs of pursuit. For this work I chose the man whose horse was the fleetest and freshest, and ordered him to keep a sharp lookout behind him, and at the first sign of anything wrong to gallop after us at top speed to give us the earliest possible warning.
I myself took three men with me and rode forward at once, intending to overtake the Princess and act as immediate escort.
I had little difficulty, unfortunately, in getting up with the carriage, for Markov, with all his skill as coachman, was only able to make a very indifferent pace over the villainous roads. The carriage bumped and rolled and jumped in the deep ruts and over the stones in a way that filled me with alternate fear that it was travelling too fast for the safety of the occupants, and of despair that so slow a pace would make pursuit an easy enough matter.
It was a great, heavy, lumbering, travelling coach, built for the comfort of those who were content to travel at an easy rate; and about as little suited for the purpose of rapid flight as anything could be. I could have cursed it, as it lumbered along groaning, creaking, straining, threatening to topple over at every other lurch, and distressing the horses, powerful though they were, until the sweat lathered on their flanks and dripped on the rough, cruel road.
“Is there a hope of getting any better carriage at Liublian?” I asked Markov, riding up to him as we neared that place. “We shall never reach the frontier in this thing; an open cart would be better. Try if you can’t get something. Steal it if you can’t hire or buy it.”
“The horses are nearly done already, your Honour,” said Markov; “although we’ve only come some seven miles. I’ll try.”
“You must be quick,” I said, as I fell back behind again.
Despite the very urgent need for haste, we entered the place driving very leisurely, and drew up at the inn, when Markov and I entered to make inquiries. We were in luck. The man had a comparatively light open cart for sale and a couple of strong young horses. A few minutes found the bargain struck, and while my men were refreshing themselves the horses were put in, and Christina and her companion left the great ugly, cumbersome carriage to take their places in the cart.
“Could we get peasants’ clothes?” suggested Mademoiselle Broumoff. “Any kind of disguise might help us.” It was a happy thought, and the ever resourceful Markov acted on the hint directly, and procured cloaks and headgear.