“Otherwise I will not ask you to say a word.”
It looked as if I were going to win, after all, and I felt in a confident mood as I hurried to Gatrina, giving Buller his instructions on the way.
An elderly woman was with her, at whom I glanced with little interest as the name, the Countess Vashti, was mentioned.
Gatrina met me with a stiff ceremonious bow; and her voice was cold and hard. But her eyes were full of trouble.
“We come by the Queen’s desire, Mr. Bergwyn, to bid you a formal welcome to Belgrade on her and His Majesty’s behalf,” she said, formally and distantly.
I expressed my gratification in equally formal terms; and we sat talking generalities, about the Capital, the ball of the previous night, and so on; just commonplace surface chatter, until Buller entered and gave me a slip of paper with the one word “Yes” written upon it. I had won; and after a little more make-weight twaddle for the benefit of the Countess Vashti, I got to the pith of things.
“There are some points arising out of our conversation at the Palace, last night, Princess, which have occurred to me, and I should be glad of an opportunity of discussing them with you privately.”
“Her Majesty’s object in desiring me to see you to-day, Mr. Bergwyn, was that I should speak with you privately if you desired it.” As she said this she glanced at the companion, who bowed acquiescence.
I rose at once and giving the old lady a bundle of papers I led Gatrina to another room.
“I told you last night that I would endeavour to give you proofs of what I said. As to the aim of the Russian party there is no need for proof; the Baroness herself last night admitted to me that she had instigated your abduction; that you were to have been taken to Maglai; and that when there your marriage with Duke Barinski was to be forced upon you.”