The Car of Destiny | Page 5

further attempts to put myself in the King's Way, though he arrived at the Villa Mouriscot every morning from San Sebastian. Dick approved my conduct and, pitying my depression, perhaps repented his hardness. He found several Parisian friends at Biarritz, and when we had been there for three days, he came back to the hotel from the Casino one night with an important air.
"Strange how one's tempted to do things one knows one oughtn't to do," said he. "Now, it's unwise to tell you I've met a man who knows Lady Monica Vale, yet I'm doing it."
"What did the man say?" I asked.
"A number of things--charming, of course. She's not engaged, if that's any consolation."
"Oh, I knew that."
"How?"
"By her eyes."
"Apparently she observed yours also."
"What? She's spoken of--she--"
"The sister of my man is a friend of Lady Monica's. She told the sister about the motor-car adventure."
"For goodness sake don't force me to ask questions."
"I won't. I've a soft heart, which has often been my undoing. She said she'd seen the most interesting man in the world. Don't faint."
"Don't be an ass."
"I'm not chaffing. She did say that--honest Injun. At least, I've Henri de la Mole's word for it. His sister was at school at the convent of the Virgin of Tears with Lady Monica Vale. Lady Monica supposed the other day that we were both French, which is a compliment to your accent. She said she wished she could find out 'who was the brown man with the eyes.' I'm a fool to have told you that though, eh? It can't do you any good, and will probably make you worse."
"But it has done me good."
"Flattered your vanity. However, I haven't told you all yet. De la Mole says the mother's a dragon, hard as iron, cold as steel, living for ambition. She was left poor, on her husband's death, as the Vale-Avon estates went with the title to a distant relative, and the girl's been brought up to make a brilliant match. She's been given every accomplishment under Heaven, to add to her beauty; and as the family's one of the oldest in Great Britain, connected with royalty in one way or another, in Stuart days, Lady's Monica's expected to pull off something from the top branch, in the way of a marriage. De la Mole's heard that the present Lord Vale-Avon has been first favourite with the mother up till lately, though he's next door to an idiot. Princess Ena's engagement to the King of Spain has changed everything. You see, Lady Vale-Avon and her daughter live not far from the Princess, in the Isle of Wight. When the King came a-courting to England, came also, though not exactly in his train, another Spaniard, the Duke of Carmona, and--"
"Don't," I cut in; "I won't hear his name in connection with her's. That half Moorish brute!"
"He may have a dash of Moorish blood, but he's not half Moorish; and if he's a brute, he's a good-looking brute, according to de la Mole, also he's one of the richest young men in Spain. Lady Vale-Avon--"
I jumped up and stopped Dick. "I'm in earnest," I said. "I can't bear to listen. I know the sort of things you'd say. But don't. If you do, I think I'll kill the fellow."
"Ever met him?"
"No. The men of my house and of his have been enemies for generations. But I've heard of certain exploits."
"He's coming here to stop with his mother, the old Duchess, who's been spending the winter at Biarritz. Another reason for you to vamose."
"You mean, to stay. At least, he shan't have a clear coast."
"I don't see how you can hope to block it."
"I will--somehow."
"No doubt you're a hundred times the man he is, but--fate's handicapped you for a show place in the matrimonial market. You are--"
"A man countryless and penniless. Don't hesitate to state the case frankly."
"Well, you've said it. While the other's rich, and a grandee of Spain. And, though de la Mole says the King doesn't care for him, on account of something or other connected with the Spanish-American War, he's bound to become a persona grata at Court if he marries a friend of the young Queen; and, no doubt, that influences his choice."
"Thank Heaven, Lady Monica isn't Spanish."
"Ah, but Spain's the fashion now. And you haven't heard all my news. Henri de la Mole says Lady Monica is asked to be a maid of honour for the young Queen of Spain, the one Englishwoman she's to have in attendance."
"At least the wedding won't be till June. It's only the end of February now. I've got more than three months."
"You haven't got one. Soon after the Princesses leave Biarritz, Lady Vale-Avon and Lady Monica are going to visit the old Duchess of Carmona in Spain."
"What, they're going to