Four million francs—about a hundred and sixty thousand dollars. A generous income, but not really an exorbitant price to pay for the peaceful removal of this dangerously petulant and vindictive young man.
“Four million francs.” Conrad was evidently considering the bargain seriously.
“Four million francs,” Maria Lalena gasped, “why that would build the new hospital—”
“Be quiet,” Bela snarled at her. “I have named my terms. The alternative is that I stay and throw the lot of you into prison on charges of conspiracy and treason, of which you are most certainly guilty. You might not be convicted, but there would inevitably be civil war. This way I agree to remain dead to Alaria.”
“Oh, we accept your terms without question,” Conrad said, calmly.
“Good,” Bela cried. “Then I leave you now to struggle with this mare’s nest as best you may. I hope you get into a lot of trouble, but that you remain in power, since, if you do not, my allowance will cease, and I have made no provision for the future as my mother did. If I had known that, I should not have been so firm with her.”
“In the matter of offence,” Conrad said drily, “it may be more profitable to receive than to give.”
Bela shrugged his shoulders. “Nevertheless I enjoyed sending her away,” he said, “and if it may have been costly, a King’s enjoyment should not be niggardly. And you will be prompt in your payments to me, for if you should not be you will know that I will come alive again, and gladly see you all torn apart by the populace.” He pushed back the high throne chair roughly, and walked to the door where he stopped to deliver a last thrust.
“I leave you that girl for a legacy,” he announced, “and I hope you never discover whether she is the Princess or not.” He slammed the door and was gone.
After a moment Maria Lalena spoke. “You will discover immediately that I am not,” she said in a small, tired voice. “I tell you so. My mother rushed me into this and gave me no time to think. It was something she and Queen Yolanda devised. I believed the whole thing until I had time to think, then I knew I could not be the Princess, since I remembered my life at Waldek before she was killed.”