CHAPTER FIFTEEN
_ANTHONY THE TRIUMPHANT_
The butler tapped upon Trent's door before nine next morning.
"I've just taken a telephone message for you, Mr. Anthony, veryimportant if I may judge."
"Come in and tell me about it," the American said. He could not imaginewho knew his whereabouts. It must be Maitland, he supposed, who hadpromised to see him before he joined his destroyer again if it werepossible.
"It's from the American Embassy," the butler informed him.
"What?" Trent demanded. "Are you sure?"
The American Embassy! What had he to do with that? Once behind the doorshe was on American soil and subject to her jurisdiction.
"It was a message saying that the ambassador must see you at once. Itook the liberty of saying I thought you could get there by half pastnine. A motor will be waiting when you have dressed."
Anthony Trent sat on the edge of his bed and saw all his high hopesdashed to earth. Someone must have told the ambassador of this youngfellow countryman of his who was on intimate terms with a cabinetminister. And the ambassador with the aid of his intelligencedepartment must have run him to earth.
For a moment he wondered whether it would not be wiser to make a run forit. Maitland now assured of his _bona fides_ would not hesitate to takehim with him and land him at some lonely spot on the Italian coast bynight. He had money and his wits. It would be beginning life over againbut it would be better than disgrace here in London.
Then his fighting side asserted itself. He would not be frightened intoflight before he was convinced flight was necessary.
There was another visitor in the American ambassador's waiting room, aman of middle age who smoked an excellent cigar. He turned as Trententered.
"Morning," said Trent morosely. He was annoyed to find that he had tospeak. It was the publisher of a chain of magazines for one of whichTrent used to write when engaged in the manufacture of light fiction. Hehad often smoked one of the millionaire's celebrated cigars.
"Good morning," said the publisher graciously. "It's a long time since Isaw you."
"The ambassador keeps extraordinary hours," Trent commented.
"He's a business man," the other explained, "Not bred to the old timediplomacy, just a plain, business man."
"What have you done that he sent for you?"
"You don't seem to understand," the publisher said mildly.
"I only understand," Trent said, still irritably, "that I'm being keptwaiting. He was to see me at nine thirty and it's now twenty minutes tobreakfast."
"He was on the minute," the other laughed, "Where have you been not toknow I'm the ambassador?"
"You!" said Trent in amazement.
"And I'm making a damned good one," the diplomat said, "even if I do getup hours before the rest of 'em."
"What am I here for?" Trent demanded.
"Congratulations mainly," said the ambassador. "I was waked out of sleepat after midnight by the prime minister. He wanted to know if I hadheard of an American called Anthony Trent. I said 'Sure. He used towrite for me. Anthony Trent is all right.' The way these Londoners keepup half the night is something shocking."
"I still don't see why you've sent for me, Mr. Hill."
"I'll explain," said the ambassador. His manner was serious, so seriousindeed that Anthony Trent was infinitely perturbed. "You may not know itbut you've rendered your country a considerable service. Over here inthe Birthday or New Year honours list you'll find decorations awardedmen the public knows nothing about. Trent, sometimes they are given forwork like you have done. We don't give orders or decorations or grantsof money. If we did you'd have one coming to you. What you've done won'teven come before Congress. You'll be a mute inglorious Milton, but--ifthe day comes when you need help, if you should ever be in a tightplace, remember you've got something to trade with. I'm not going tomention this again but you bear it in mind."
"I certainly will," Trent said gratefully. Then he spoke a littlehesitatingly. "Be frank with me, Mr. Hill. I ask this as a personalfavor. Had you anything at the back of your mind when you spoke about mybeing in a tight place or needing help?"
"No," the ambassador said after a mental reaction which could bemeasured in seconds. "But you've made enemies here. Some of 'em havesent in asking what you do for your livelihood. Of course I rememberedthat Australian uncle. He certainly must have cut up rich."
"He did," Anthony Trent said sombrely. He had invented an Australianuncle years before to account for possession of the large sums of moneyhis professional work netted him. Oddly enough the memory gave himlittle pleasure now.
"I was able to assure the inquisitive," the diplomat declared, "that Ihad known you for years."
Enemies! Castoon perhaps, who hated him on sight, and possibly theColonel Langley who was now his friend. What others unknown to him mightthere not be! And there was Lady Polruan sister of Willoughby Maitland.She probably would be influenced by her favorite brother and receivehim on a friendly footing if they met again. These people he knew. Butit was the unknowns who bothered him.
"Was Rudolph Castoon one of them?" he inquired.
"The Chancellor of the Exchequer?" Hill laughed. "My boy you havecertainly got right into the top-hole set here. The inquisitive oneswere your own countryfolk who were jealous that a man not even in theSocial Register got in on intimate terms with the great families. Maybethey wanted to get your formula. Nothing serious. I've got a busymorning. Lunch with me at one tomorrow?"
"Gladly," Anthony Trent returned, his manner brighter. Never had heshaken hands so heartily with his old publisher.
"It's done me good to see you," he exclaimed.
* * * * *
The friendly butler informed Trent in confidence that Lady Daphne wasnot yet down. His lordship was already riding in the Row.
"Her ladyship has not been informed of your arrival," said the butler."She is expected down in a few minutes. I have ordered kidneys and bacon_en brochette_ for you, sir."
"This feels like being really at home," the American said. "I havewanted that for breakfast every morning I've been away and never oncehad the luck to get it."
Below stairs the butler informed the housekeeper, who later retailed itto maids, that Mr. Anthony seemed very nervous. A footman openlyrejoiced when he overheard the butler's conversation with thehousekeeper that his duties would enable him to witness the meeting ofhis mistress and the American.
"There will be nobody in the breakfast room when her ladyship enters butMr. Anthony," his superior said firmly. "Haven't you got any romance inyou, Simpkins?"
"Yes," answered the footman simply, "that's why I want to see them."
Anthony Trent was sitting in a big winged chair by the fire when Daphneentered. She walked to the table and picked up some letters withoutseeing him. At every mail she expected to hear from him and now wasanother of these continual disappointments. Invitations, letters fromfriends and relatives, but never a one from the man she loved.
Watching her Anthony Trent was a victim to many emotions. The rumorwhich he had confidently disputed that she was engaged to RudolphCastoon now assumed a guise of probability. Why not? He had left herexpecting never to see her again. He had convinced her of theunsurmountable barrier between them, a barrier which still existed. Whata fool he had been to twist the earl's statement about Arthur intosomething that spelled hope when none was intended.
That he was here was due to the feeling on Lord Rosecarrel's part thathe deserved courtesy at the hands of the Grenvils. Before leaving forCroatia he had assured the elder man that he would not claim a reward.And here he was within a few feet of Daphne. What he should have donewas to call and greet her in a friendly fashion, a fashion which wouldhave told her that he realized there could no longer be any pretence ofintimacy between them. Instead he was hiding in a deep chair and mustpresently disclose himself.
He noticed anxiously that she was looking frail and tired. There was asadnes
s on her face which he had not seen there before. It was, hedecided, a hopelessness, a lack of the vivacity which had alwaysdistinguished her.
It was when the butler had decided time enough had elapsed for greetingthat Simpkins was allowed to bear in silver dishes of food.
It was the footman's entrance which made the girl look up from herunopened collection of letters. She did not see Simpkins. She saw onlythe man in the chair, the tall, slim man who rose almost awkwardly whenhe met her wide-open eyes.
Ordinarily self possessed, never at a loss for a word or embarrassed,Anthony Trent stood there dumb and looked at her.
"Oh Tony, Tony!" she cried.
Immensely gratified, Simpkins beheld the American gather her to him.Honest Simpkins had tears in his eyes. He went from the room blindly,his mission unaccomplished. He had seen Love so near to him that he wasdazzled.
It was in Daphne's own sitting room facing St. James' Park that theywere able to talk coherently. "Why do you suddenly look so grave on thismorning of all mornings in my life?" she asked tenderly.
"Darling," he said, "I can't keep on living in this doubt any longer.You know what I said in Cornwall?"
"That's so long ago. I forget. Exactly what did my wise Tony say? I onlyremember that he said he loved me."
"I shall always say that," he said softly. "Daphne, I must not go ondeluding myself any longer. I ought not to have seen you. It was onlybecause your father was courteous and I was weak that I came."
"You have seen father?" she cried.
"Last night," he told her. "I was with him for an hour. He was verykind."
"Did he tell you about Arthur?"
"He said he was going to be married."
She looked at her Tony with a smile he could not understand. There wascertainty in it content, assurance. It was as though there were nobarriers that kept him from her.
"My wise Tony," she said, "there is much for you to learn. Let us leaveGrosvenor Place and go to Australia in the first place."
"Australia?" he cried uneasily. For the second time within a few hoursthe island continent had arisen to confound him.
"Yes, Australia," she said. "You remember that my father bought a placethere for Arthur?"
He had often heard of it. It was a magnificent property of a hundredthousand acres. Great flocks of sheep and cattle grazed on it and therewere hundreds of horses. There were lakes on it where the rainbow troutgrew to fifteen pounds in weight. He had seen photographs of the bighouse with its tennis courts, its outside swimming pool, its walledgardens. It was administered, he knew, by intelligent superintendentsand capable of even greater development.
"A wonderful place," he said. "Yes, I remember. Your father wanted tosell it."
"He has given it away instead."
"Given away a place like that?"
"Perhaps I ought not to say given away," she smiled. "He has given it inexchange for what business people call collateral. He has given it toyou, Tony, subject to certain conditions."
"Me?" he cried, "Oh no! Impossible. I couldn't take it."
"But you haven't even heard the conditions," she said. "I go with it. Itmust be kept in the family."
Anthony Trent had a vision of the future. He saw himself a clean managain, a man with hard work before him and great responsibilities. Heremembered his country's ambassador and the cryptic utterances whichmight mean so much. The new life in the new country where none knew him.The realization of those dreams of children who need never be ashamed oftheir parentage. And all this was offered him.
Daphne looking at him saw that the eyes which she had sometimes thoughtwere hard were softened now. None but she had ever seen tears in theeyes of Anthony Trent who had once been the Master Criminal.
"Oh Daphne," he said brokenly. "Daphne."
THE END
The Secret of the Silver Car Page 15
