“He doesn’t; that is merely a means to an end. But he does very much want to give Scythia a pretext for interfering in our affairs. With two Kings, and a civil war in active progress, she would be able to send troops to enforce order, and those troops would leave the country at the Greek Kalends. Little Michael’s conversion would be insisted upon as the price of support. Drakovics would go under and so should I, and the Queen would either be assisted in her duties by Bishop Philaret and the general of the army of occupation as co-regents, or provided with a second husband, and thus shunted.”
“But how in the world did you find all this out, and why didn’t you take precautionary measures before?”
“I had my first inkling of it less than three hours ago, through a few words which Phil overheard. Of course I knew that the O’Malachy wasn’t here for any good purpose, but that’s nothing new. Since I left Phil I have been working up the plot, and taking steps to frustrate it, at the same time. It was clear that the soldiers and townspeople were to rise some time to-day, probably on your arrival. It was equally clear that they could not rise without leaders; and of course I have a list, through the secret police, of all the suspicious characters that have been hanging about Tatarjé of late. They are under arrest in their own abodes at present, and are to be kept under police supervision, without being allowed to communicate with any one, until you are safely out of Thracia. When things are clear, they will be released with an apology.”
“But why not punished or expelled?”
“Ah, that is the difficulty of making use of an amateur spy, and a child at that. No tribunal would convict on the only evidence I can produce, although it has been enough to enable me to explode the plot. But I shall get the Court back to Bellaviste as soon as possible, and with you and your wife and family safe in England, the plotters can’t do much.”
“But how did my arrest come into your plans?”
“Very simply. I wanted you not to come on to Tatarjé, but to return to the frontier, where Nadia and the children could join you. I started to meet you; but I had run it too close, and I saw you would have left Velisi long before I got here. I couldn’t be sure that a telegram would stop you, and therefore I employed physical force.”
“Wasn’t it a slight oversight, if you meant your scheme to be a secret, that you didn’t have my man arrested too?” asked Caerleon drily. “As it is, he went on in the train to Tatarjé.”
Cyril jumped out of his chair. “No,” he said, sinking back again, “don’t be afraid. I am not going to use strong language, but if ever a man might be excused for doing so——! Didn’t you tell me in your very last letter that Franks had got potted by some idiotic duffer who was out shooting with you, and that you were servantless so long as he was hors de combat?”
“What a memory you have for little things! Unfortunately it has played you false here, though, for I brought Robert with me instead.”