At the far end of the yard a tall, blond peasant had been harnessing a horse into one of the long, boat-shaped carts so common in the Ukraine. He left his work and walked slowly over to them; after De Richleau had spoken a few words to him he turned and led the way towards the house. The aeroplane had disappeared towards the west.
As the small procession trooped into the clean, bright kitchen a portly, apple-cheeked woman looked up with some apprehension, but the farmer quieted her fears, and soon she was busy preparing a hearty breakfast for her unexpected guests.
The Duke went out again with the man into the yard, and when he returned he pointed through the kitchen window, which looked out on the back. The farmhouse stood upon a slight rise, an orchard lay to the right, but before them spread a gently sloping meadow — beyond it fields, and in the valley, not more than a mile away, the edge of a dark forest.
“You see those tree-tops, my friends? Their roots are in Rumanian soil. At last it seems that we have reached our journey’s end.”
Simon let a little sigh escape him. It had been a terrible wrench to leave Valeria Petrovna, but over the border lay freedom — London... Paris... Deauville ... Monte Carlo. The old world capitalist cities, with their life and laughter — their restaurants, the Opera, the print shops, and the excitement of big business deals; everything that he had always loved.
Rex laughed. “My, won’t we throw some party — when we get over there!”
Only Richard turned away disconsolate — not even for a single moment could he cease wondering what had happened to little Marie Lou.
Over breakfast they discussed the situation. De Richleau argued that there was no undue reason for alarm. When Richard failed to put in an appearance she had in all probability gone back to the hotel.
“But just think of her,” Richard explained, “waiting for hours wondering what on earth had happened to us — thinking perhaps that the escape had failed and that we’d all been arrested!”
“Sure,” Rex agreed, “or, like as not, that we were a rotten bunch of pikers, who’d taken her help and quit while the goin’ was good.”