Show BANNER SERIAL FICTION FICTION- V She he Painted Her race Face 4 c tov id tI 00 C 0 j DORNfORD YATES O C Yalca Yalu I CHAPTER VIII VIII VIII-Continued Continued I 16 Ab Ah Richard she said And John Herrick Im I'm glad to see you again We went to her side at once and she libe gave us her hand to be kissed kissed- and th then n but not until then Elizabeth Eliza Eliza- Elizabeth beth left the car The Count was not there to greet her He was In fact attempting without success to present my nephew neph neph- ew eWe Percy to the Duchess of Whelp A 1 The reception was over and we were ere alone In the hall when as though from nowhere a n maid appeared appeared ap ap- ap at our side Her ladyship begs that you will take tea in her suite At Ai At once said Herrick rising At once sir If U you follow me 1 will show you the way She waited for me to rise and then with a delicate deference took the lead Her demeanor was point device her appearance beyond reproach she breathed efficiency She was dark and by no means ill favored and I would have said discreet but for a curious expression about her lips lips Leonardo Leonardo da Vinci could h have ve caught it for the woman was not smiling and yet the smile was there I followed her thoughtfully because because be be- cause I knew who she was And that was Elsa Elsa Elsa-Elizabeth's Elizabeth's Elizabeths personal maid She led us the way we had gone 4 some 45 minutes before that before that is by bythe bythe bythe the turret staircase-turret Elizabeth always always always al al- al- al ways used and as we went I 1 paid what at attention I could to the doors which shut the turret from the rest of the house Of these there were three three one one which gave to a lobby upon the ground-floor ground one which gave to the picture picture gallery gallery upon the first floor and one which opened directly into Elizabeths Elizabeth's bedroom upon upon the second floor These doors which h were small but massive could be neither bolted nor barred but below each old fashioned latch was a good Yale lock The bolts of these locks were not shot but were at present held back by catches within the locks but once the c catches were down none could have passed the doors unless they had been admitted or possessed the appropriate appropriate ap ap- ap key 1 I have made it clear before now that the turret had also a door which gave to the terrace without that this door had a Yale lock but could also be barred All the locks were within the turret 4 except the last and that was In Elizabeths Elizabeth's bedroom Her sitting-room sitting door was open and as we entered the bedroom I heard Elizabeths Elizabeth's voice I II I have said that because of my fall I cannot remember what happened for several hours that after that I was cared for by people people people peo peo- I did not know and that by their advice I sought the Duchess of o Whelp I may say that these people knew mew you and that though they had hadnot hadnot hadnot not been engaged to er care for formy formy formy my health nobody could have been kinder kinder or or more insistent that I 1 should not return to Brief Brie If you think said Virgil as I walked into the room Elizabeth turned and smiled Do sit down she said The inquest is nearly done In some agitation the Count of Brief Brie got to his feet and Percy surveyed us with murder in both his eyes I If you think you were saying saying saying say say- ing said Elizabeth Thank you said Percy calm calm- ly lYe If you think you can get away with a n tale lale like that that that- F mind getting out of this room t 1 There was a pregnant silence Then I walked to the door to the ther r landing and opened it wide r The Count of Brief Brie glanced at his i 1 watch My God Im I'm late he said and fairly ran out of the room I f Adjourned not done said f Percy and with that he turned on his heel and followed the other out As As I shut the door door door- f r rJ f J Such men are dangerous said Herrick and put on Elizabeths Elizabeth's hat hat For a quarter of an hour we talked Then she and I lIen left for the stables and Herrick went to the tower But long before then m my inventory was complete The door to the landing had a Yale lock but no bars There was no mark upon Caesar and i if U his legs had been tender he now was perfectly sound The grooms had noticed nothing when he carne came in Two other looking good hunters were each let out of ot his box and Elizabeth bade me choose on one for tomorrow at seven 0 clock And then she gave her orders orders or or- ders and we went down the garden and up to the belvedere There was that about her which I turned this into a bower Sitting sideways half on and halt half oil lf the gray of at the parapet backed D oy ny the living green of the jealous boughs a n stave of the evening sunshine sunshine sunshine sun sun- shine touching her lovely hair she seemed to have found her true truc setting setting setting set set- ting for the very first time I found myself the youth that was seeking his fortune to whom the princess was gracious gracious because because the great tradition must be ob oh- served Richard Exon How do I took her hand and kissed it The better for seeing you Does that mean that you have missed me Yes said L At every hour a of the day Elizabeth nodded contentedly I like to hear you say it she said I wrenched my mind from her beauty to other things Was that Elsa who fetched us I said It was Are you sure of her Im I'm not mad about her myself Elizabeth laughed My dear you see a robber In int oM oM JI t ra G r r I r r al s N NI l I I m Glad ac to See You every bush Elsa is a maid in a thousand thousand and and true as steel Is she going to sleep in your suite She nodded By your request I I 1 I didn't specify Elsa said saidI I uneasily Elizabeth knitted her brows Richard be reasonable Youve You've seen her for less two than minutes and I have known her well for nearly nearly nearly near near- ly four years And if il anyone is to sleep there it must be she If U I were to choose someone else I might as well say to Elsa I dont don't trust you Yes I see that I sighed All the same you will lock your doors All five said Elizabeth Where are the keys Theres only the one you know know- the one you brought me on Friday with the rest of my things That's a master key and fits all five of ot the locks There was a little silence Then Then- I wish we were at Raven I Isaid said said and and spoke as I thought I wish Id I'd been there with you both she replied And all the time I was here being waited on hand and foot And sometimes you went hungry whilst I was being fed by a chef who gets five hundred a year She stood up there and took my lapels in her hands I owe y you u money dont don't I 11 I suppose you do said I but its it's not worth talking about Well Im I'm not going to pay It back Im I'm proud to be in your debt Id I'd like every everyone ne to know it What I really owe you cant can't be reduced to pounds if it could I could never pay it and it-and and you know that as well as as I. I But this I can pay but I wont I asked you to lend me money mon mono money ey and now I wont won't pay you back Youve You've piled such mountains between between be be- tween us that let this lift up its head head head-a a sordid little mole hill of 40 paper p-paper pounds Before this outburst I stood like a aman aman aman man transfixed with the breath of her lips Ups on my face and her eyes two pools of at starlight reflecting a tiny image I knew was mine So o for tor on one hungry moment Then she clapped her hands to her face and burst into tears I would like to be shown the man that that would not have gathered her weeping into his arms arms and and have done his poor best to comfort such beauty in such distress And for me meher meher meher her hairs were numbered Be that as it may I 1 know she was in my arms and the world was rocking about me and stars that I could not see shot out of their spheres to make another heaven 1 do not know what I said I think I 1 did no more than say over her name but after a little aha sha wiped the tears from her eyes and put an arm ann round my neck love me Richard Yes I said I cannot tell you how much And will you always love me Always my darling And after this you will treat me meas meas meas as your equal And not kneel down and look up with your eyes on my mylace face lace I I 1 I will try to Elizabeth Ellzabeth And you will not do me honor John Herrick may kiss my hand but you and I Wont Won't Wont Won't you a ask k me itI 11 it I love you my darling I Im I'm Im I'm afraid to my sweet sweet I 1 faltered and held her close But Butil il it Old Harry consents I will ask you to be my wile wife The beautiful eyes grew wide Since when has the Duchess of ol Whelp Whelp- Since Friday said I. I You have no father lather or mother by doing as you have done you have set sether sether sether her her- herup up in their place For your sake she has left her retirement and taken the field she could dono dono do dono no more if il you were her only child and you cannot take such service from Irom such a personage and then deny her the rights of ol a patroness What think my father lather would say if il he were alive I know what hed he'd say said I i il If he were the Count of ol Brief Elizabeth sighed You do make things hard dont don't you I II If you were a race-horse race my darling you'd have to run in a hood Still at least Ive I've managed to get you on to the course And its it's bound to be a walk over walk over il only you dont don't run out Ill never do that said I. I But I did not say that as both of ofus ofus ofus us very well knew fence we ne never er erso so wisely I must be disqualified Instead Instead In In- I Istead stead I stooped and kissed her exquisite exquisite ex ex- mouth and then dr drew w her herup herup up to her feet and into my arms As though inspired by the Count of ol Briefs Brief's evil genius Old Harry saw fit that evening to wear such a mask as made the blood run cold Her right hand and her mirror between between between be be- tween them had taught her terrible things She had so painted her face lace that she made me think of ol some chieftain arrayed for war and had tired her head with rings ear two monstrous shaped pear-shaped diamonds diamonds dia dia- dia monds that dangled as lusters do do and shuddered brilliance with every movement she made I Here let me say that the game which she played was so cunning that I was soon out ol ot my depth I add to which that she spoke in German German German Ger Ger- man which I could not understand But since I later knew all I will set down directly what happened because my own reactions have nothing to do with the tale Old Harry had had Herricks Herrick's note She therefore laid herself hersell out to entice enUce the Count on to the ground which Virgil had said was forbidden forbidden forbidden forbid forbid- den three hours before In a word she set out to make him put a rope round his neck neck neck-n a seemingly hopeless hopeless hope hope- less task but not to the Duchess Duchess Duch Duch- ess of ot Whelp for lor she turned the rope into a garland and after alter a little he put the pretty thing on She handed him memories and then th n demanded them back she said he must see her diary she made the desert ol of danger bloom with good goodwill goodwill goodwill will arm in arm they wandered over its borders By the time that the entree was served the Count was most deeply committed I and and Virgil whom I was watching watching watch watch- ing could hardly sit still I And then without any warning Old Harry let fly Above our subdued conversation her voice rang out What became of ol George Eliot Ellon The table was round and I was facing lacing the Count so I saw him bim well wellA A servant was presenting a dish but because of ol this startling query his master had no mind to spare and the man stood beside him unnoticed except by everyone else Even at a literary luncheon the question so suddenly put might well have disconcerted a wiser man as it was its striking irrelevance irrelevance irrelevance vance hit the Count over the heart He stared upon the Duchess who had coolly returned to her plate as though she had asked him whether his soul was saved then he lilted lifted his eyes to Virgil's Virgil's to to read an interpretation interpretation in in- which brought the sweat on to his lace face ace He shot a glance round the table and a hand went up to his mouth Old Harry looked up from Irom her place What became of ol George Eliot Ellot I said Somehow the man made answer George Eliot madam The let me see The Duchess stared George Eliot I think the edition we had had had- I Edition cried the Duchess Edition What ever mean There was a painful silence The servant presenting the dish stood up and looked round for lor guidance guidance guid guide ance but Bertram who had come cOple cometo to his help was staring upon his master with saucer eyes The latter latter lat lat lat- ter wiped the sweat from his brow My memory he said is un un- un- un certain You have bave revived it madam madam ma ma- dam to some extent but but but- You remembered our visit to Palfrey where the pictures were going to be sold And your father saw one ol ot George Eliot Her victim leapt at t the bait Oh now I have you madam The picture you mean For the moment moment- Picture Is one of ol us mad I asked what became of ol George El- El She threw a glance round Is there nobody here to support me when I say that that is something something something some some- thing which Rudolf Rudoll of ol Brief Briel should I know Her eyes came to rest upon Bertram Steward I know your face lace Were you here when I came In some emotion Bertram inclined inclined inclined in in- his head I was here your Grace TO BE CONTINUED |