Blood Royal Read Free

again.
    “We are coming to an inn,” he said, “where my friend and I are well known. They’re simple, honest people who value their friends, and, if I were to tell them that you had drawn upon us, you’d find a very rough house. I do not propose to tell them, and I’m sure you will give me no cause to change my mind.”
    A low laugh came from the Duke, and his fellow let out a curse.
    “What the devil’s your game?” he snarled.
    “Frankly,” said George, “it’s to put you where you belong. We obviously can’t do it until we know where that is, and, as this car’s almost as unpleasant to argue in as to fight in, we’re going to have things out in front of a fire.”
    The other said nothing, but I heard him suck in his breath.
    “I’m Duke Paul,” said the Duke suddenly. “Duke Paul of Riechtenburg; and this man’s Major Grieg of the Black Hussars. He asks your game, but I’d damned well like to know his.”
    “We’ll ask him in a minute,” said Hanbury, and, with that, he said we were English and gave our names.
    “I like London,” said the Duke irrelevantly. “Do you remember —?” He named a revue. “I saw it thirty-three times. There was a girl in the chorus called Ruby Judge… Stung me to glory, of course, but she – she had her points. Little devil in a temper, she was. I gave her some sables one day, and because she’d wanted broadtail she shoved the lot in the fire.”
    There was an electric silence.
    Then Grieg laughed, as though in triumph, and the blood came into my face. Though his conduct, I think, was warranting what we had done, I had an uneasy feeling that we had ‘backed the wrong horse’.
     
    Not until candles had been lighted in a great bedchamber and the four of us were gathered about a fire of logs were George and I fairly able to appraise our two guests, for they were in uniform, and the deep collars of their greatcoats had shrouded the face.
    No man, I think, would have liked the look of them.
    Duke Paul was a loose-lipped youth of about my age – that is to say twenty-five. His sleek hair was sandy, and his complexion most pale. Weak, idle, dissolute – as such he impressed me. There was nothing noble about him, but much that was mean, and while his manner was haughty, this arrogance was plainly at the mercy of anyone that was minded to meet his gaze. His nails were bitten to the quick.
    Grieg was a man of forty, tough and thickset. His hair and his eyes were black, a perpetual frown fretted his heavy brows, and his jaw was curiously square. He was smart and well groomed and looked a soldier, accustomed to command and to obey. Neither wise nor stolid, his expression was especially grim, and I remember feeling glad that I was not his subordinate.
    Both were dressed in dark blue and wore neither belts nor spurs, but, while the major’s were plain, the Duke’s collar and cuffs were laced with gold.
    Very few words had been exchanged, and I was still wondering how best to discharge the duty which we had so impetuously shouldered, when, to my great surprise, Grieg set a chair for the Duke and then turned to Hanbury and me.
    “I’ve been thinking things over,” he said; “and if I’d been in your position I should have done the same. I – I must apologize.”
    Before either of us could answer—
    “And what about me?” said the Duke, with his back to the fire.
    The other lowered his head.
    “I am at your Highness’ disposal. Your Highness will deal with me on our return.”
    “By God, I will,” said the Duke.
    “One thing I beg, and that is that your Highness will not judge me until my case has been heard.”
    “Case?” cried the Duke. “Case? D’you think I don’t know—”
    “I beg you, sir, not to be hasty. I am, of course, under arrest, but your Highness is unattended, and if you will allow me to attend you, I will not abuse the privilege.”
    Here a knock fell upon the door, and Grieg was there in an instant to see what it meant.
    I think a