Then he told himself he must wait in patience until dinner was over and the Grand Duke’s other guests arrived, so he forced himself to be pleasant to his dinner companions.
This was not a very difficult task, as the ladies had been trained in a hard school to amuse any man they were with and make him find them desirable.
As was usual in France, the ladies and gentlemen all left the dining room together.
When they walked into the large salon where they had been before dinner, which opened onto another equally spacious room that had been cleared of furniture for dancing, Craig saw the Countess.
She was standing at an open window looking out onto the garden, which was lit with a thousand small candles fluttering in the evening breeze and huge Chinese lanterns, glowing golden in the branches of the trees.
There was the scent of mimosa, which was in flower, and Craig, seeing the Countess’s profile against the sky, thought it would be impossible for any woman to look so enchanting.
In fact she seemed part of the night itself.
He had wondered, after her dramatic appearance last night, if she could equal the sensation her black gown had caused in the dining room of the Hotel de Paris.
He thought that now she was in fact even more spectacular in a gown of silver, like the moonlight outside and seemed to cling to her slim figure, except where the skirt billowed out around her feet.
Because it shone from the moonlight on one side of the Countess and in the light from the chandeliers on the other, she seemed almost to be enveloped in running water, a nymph from the sea without human substance.
He did not approach her, but just stood gazing at her.
He saw, as she turned her face towards the Grand Duke, as he advanced across the room to greet her, that her only jewel tonight was a huge diamond star which she wore on top of her head and which seemed to melt into the shining silver of her hair.
As she curtsied to the Grand Duke, he thought it would be impossible for a woman to be more graceful.
Then the Grand Duke was affably welcoming Lord Neasdon and there was no doubt that the Englishman was extremely gratified.
There was a band of twenty violins already playing in the next salon and to Craig’s mind it seemed to make the whole scene dreamlike and without reality.
There was also, he knew, another room in which there were the inevitable green tables where the Grand Duke’s guests could lose their money at every known game of chance without having to go to the Casino.
As he might have expected, the female guests were already eagerly luring their partners to the table where the roulette wheel was spinning or to another where trente et quarante was a quick way to win or lose.
It was accepted that a gentleman gave half his winnings to the lady who accompanied him besides giving her enough to play herself, should she wish to do so.
The Grand Duke had moved away from Lord Neasdon to greet other guests who were now arriving in large numbers and the Countess was once again looking out of the window while Lord Neasdon talked to her.
Craig decided that if he was going to make her acquaintance formally he would have to take the matter into his own hands.
This was made easy by the fact that he saw that Zsi-Zsi, who was acting as hostess during the evening, was for the moment standing alone.
Although she was known to be living with the Grand Duke, and was always with him when he was in Monte Carlo while his wife remained in Russia, Zsi-Zsi, because she had been married to a respectable French Comte, was accepted by quite a number of Society hostesses.
It would therefore have been possible if the Grand Duke had wished to invite only the crème de la crème to his party for Zsi-Zsi still to be there.
Craig did not question that the Grand Duke had finally decided the status of the Countess and Zsi-Zsi had arranged the party accordingly.
He walked over to her, took her arm and said to her quietly,
“You have made me curious about the newcomer, so the least you can do is introduce me to her.”
“I think it would be a mistake, Craig,” Zsi-Zsi replied. “She is quite obviously tied up with Lord Neasdon and there are several women here tonight who have begged me to ensure that they have an opportunity to be with you, including the one who was on your right at dinner.”
“I still wish to meet the Countess.”
Zsi-Zsi shrugged her shoulders.
“Very well, if you insist, but don’t blame me if you get a put down such as poor Boris received, although he tried to keep it a secret from me!”
Craig’s eyes twinkled remembering what the Grand Duke had told him, but he merely said,
“I will risk it and, if my morale is damaged, I can always come to you for consolation.”
“Which you are quite certain I will give you,” Zsi-Zsi smiled mockingly.
As they were talking, Craig had deliberately moved her across the salon to where the Countess and Lord Neasdon were standing.
Now, as they reached them, the Countess turned her head from her contemplation of the garden and looked at Zsi-Zsi in a way that Craig thought was almost as if she was shy.
Then he told himself it was ridiculous to think such a thing and it must just be a clever trick that would undoubtedly endear her to an older woman and certainly to any man.
“How nice to see you, Countess,” Zsi-Zsi gushed, “and Lord Neasdon. His Imperial Highness is so delighted you could come this evening. He has been wanting to make your acquaintance for a long time.”
“You are very kind, madame,” Lord Neasdon replied.
“And now as you are our guest for the first time,” Zsi-Zsi said, “I insist that you open the ball with me. The band is playing The Blue Danube, and what could be a more delightful dance with which to start our acquaintance?”
As Zsi-Zsi smiled up into Lord Neasdon’s face, it would have been impossible for any man to refuse her such a request, but diplomatically Lord Neasdon hesitated and glanced at the Countess.
“Tiens! I forgot!” Zsi-Zsi exclaimed in her bird-like voice. “Madame la Comtesse, allow me to introduce to you Mr. Craig Vandervelt, who will look after you while I dance with the charming Lord Neasdon.”
She paused to add impressively,
“Mr. Vandervelt is American, but, as he is so very rich, we forgive him for choosing to live in such a far off part of the world.”
She laughed as she spoke and it was like the joyous twittering of a songbird.
Then, without saying anything more, she drew Lord Neasdon by the hand into the next room.
Craig moved two paces nearer to the Countess and stood looking at her.
She did not speak and turned her face towards the garden.
“I have been waiting for this moment!” he said in his deep voice, “and because we have so much to say to each other and I have no wish to be disturbed, shall we go outside?”
CHAPTER FOUR
For a moment Craig thought that the Countess was going to refuse.
Then she looked over her shoulder nervously and he knew she was wondering if Lord Neasdon was watching her.
However, he had already vanished into the adjoining salon and, as if the Countess felt released from some restraint that Craig could not understand, she walked quickly through the open French window into the garden.
There were not many people moving across the lawn and beneath the trees Craig deliberately put his hand under the Countess’s elbow and guided her to where there were fewer lights.
Having been in the Grand Duke’s garden several times before, he knew there were seats made comfortable with silk cushions and there were also small arbours which, covered with climbing vines, were places where those who wished could be private and unobserved.
They walked without speaking.
Then, as he turned towards one of the arbours, which was only faintly lit by lanterns hanging from an adjacent tree, he feared at first that the Countess would protest.
But, as if he read her thoughts, he knew
she was aware, as he was, that in the arbour they would not be seen and she allowed him to pilot her there.
As Craig expected, the seat inside was covered with soft cushions and, as they sat down, he looked back the way they had come and saw that they were alone in this part of the garden where there were no fairy lights.
He turned to sit sideways on the seat with his arm along the back of it and began,
“Now at last I can talk to you as I am very eager to do.”
He spoke in a soft voice that most women found irresistibly beguiling, but the Countess did not look at him and only stared ahead. He could just see the outline of her straight little nose.
“What do you – want to talk – about?” she asked and there was a quiver in her voice.
“About you,” Craig replied, “but it is difficult to know where to begin.”
“I do not – think we have – anything to say to – each other.”
“I have a great deal to say,” he argued, “but first I want to know why you are frightened and of whom?”
He felt that she stiffened and then she said quickly,
“Please – I think we should – go back. I am sure – Lord Neasdon will want to – dance with me.”
“He has only just begun to dance with our hostess,” Craig replied, “and, as she is undoubtedly with the exception of yourself, the most alluring woman here, I do not think he will be in any hurry to change partners.”
If he thought he was being reassuring, he was mistaken for the Countess appeared to be even more tense than before and he saw that her fingers in her long white gloves were clasped together, twining and intertwining with each other.
Craig bent a little nearer.
Then he said very quietly,
“Let me help you. If you are in trouble, I will get you out of it and I promise I will free you from being afraid as you are now.”
“No one – can do – that.”
He could hardly hear the words and yet they were spoken.
“Why not?”
She did not answer and after a moment he said,
“I am aware there is something wrong, very very wrong. You are the most beautiful woman in the whole of Monte Carlo. Everybody is anxious to meet you, every man is at your feet and yet you are being menaced by some fear and that is something I must bring to an end.”
As his voice died away, the Countess, clenching and unclenching her hands, said pleadingly,
“Please – do not talk to me like this – I want help – desperately – but I cannot ask – you for it – nor anybody else.”
“And yet I believe I am the only person who can help you.”
She turned her face further away from him and he went on,
“You and I have both been in India. We know that strange things can happen there about which the Western world knows little, that thought is used to enable two people to have an inner knowledge of each other, however many miles they are apart.”
She did not speak, but he knew a little quiver passed through her, and he added,
“I know you need me and I know that I am the one person who would be able to help you. I think you know it too.”
Now she looked at him and replied almost passionately,
“How can – you talk to me – like this? How are you – able to – understand?”
“You know the answer to that,” Craig said. “There is no need for us to waste time in proving it to each other.”
“But – how can I be – sure? You are a man I have – never seen – before.”
“And yet you warned me that it was dangerous to speak to you this afternoon in the Church,” Craig said. “Why should you do that if you did not already think of me as being far from a total stranger?”
“I-I do not know – anything,” the Countess replied. “I am so – frightened – terribly frightened – and yet I dare not – trust you.”
There was a frantic note in her voice and Craig deliberately waited a moment before he replied very quietly,
“Don’t listen to your brain, listen to your instinct, as you would if you were in India and the same Guru was teaching us.”
She drew in her breath.
Then, just as he thought she was about to confide in him, she said in a whisper,
“Suppose – somebody is – listening?”
“Here?” Craig enquired. “I think it is very unlikely, but if there is somebody watching you, tell me why.”
“I-I cannot do – that,” the Countess said with a little sob, “but they are watching – they are always watching – and although I cannot always – see them – I know they are there.”
“Who are they? And why?”
Even as he asked the questions he knew perceptively that she was not going to answer him and that her fear was rising in her, seeping through her body and into her mind, so that it was impossible for her to think clearly.
“Now listen to me,” he said in a low voice. “I understand your difficulties better than you think I do. What I want you to remember is that I am here and I can and will help you as nobody else in the world can do.”
She did not speak but looked away again and he went on,
“Your room connects with mine and what I am going to do when I get back to the hotel is to unlock the communicating door on my side. If you want me at any moment, slide a piece of paper under the door from your side and I will open the door between us without anyone being aware of it.”
He knew she was listening attentively to what he was saying and he went on,
“Or if you wish, we can talk on the balcony, but only when you feel it is safe.”
She looked at him fleetingly for a moment.
Then she said in a whisper,
“Thank you – I shall remember – but please – do not come to the Church again in the afternoon – they might – realise that our rooms are – near to each other.”
“I understand,” Craig answered, “but, if you will tell me who they are, it might be easier for me to help you.”
As if his question agitated her almost unbearably, she replied quickly,
“No – no – I cannot stay – I dare not – please – forget we have – talked together like this.”
“I think the truth is it is I who talked,” Craig smiled. “But at least you now know I am here and if you are afraid then I am prepared to tackle anyone or anything to wipe the tears from your eyes.”
Even in the dim light he could see a little smile that was somehow pathetic.
Then she rose to her feet.
“I must go back – I am sure the dance is – over.”
“Walk slowly and casually,” Craig suggested. “If, as you fear, someone is watching, they will think if you hurry that you have something to hide.”
He saw her eyes widen, then, as she stepped from the arbour, she said in a different voice,
“How delightful it must be to have a garden like this and to know that almost all the year round it is full of flowers!”
Craig knew she was speaking as if somebody might overhear her and he replied lightly,
“In my opinion the Cote d’Azur is never lovelier than when the mimosa trees are golden and the first hibiscus comes into bloom.”
He deliberately moved slowly and knew the Countess took her pace from him.
Only as they reached the lights thrown from the windows of the villa did he see that she was very pale and at the same time in her glittering silver gown and with the star on her silver hair she looked ethereal and hardly human.
Now they were moving amongst the other guests returning from the garden into the house and, as they walked in through a French window, Craig saw Lord Neasdon and Zsi-Zsi coming from the other salon where they had been dancing.
He sensed that, at the sight of Lord Neasdon, the Countess seemed to shudder and he had the feeling, although he was not sure why, that she recoiled from him and moved as if instinctively closer to himself.
“We have had the most delightful dance,”
Zsi-Zsi said in her attractive voice. “His Lordship is a very good dancer.”
“Surely that is unusual for an Englishman?” Craig remarked. “I hope you will introduce me, as we have not yet met.”
“Oo-la-la! How remiss of me!” Zsi-Zsi exclaimed. “Lord Neasdon, this is Craig Vandervelt, a very charming American who honours us with his presence here in Monte Carlo nearly every year and we women look forward to his arrival with palpitating hearts.”
Lord Neasdon held out his hand.
“How do you do!” he said rather heavily. “I have heard of you, although we have never met.”
“I think you work in the Foreign Office with a relative of mine, the Marquis of Lansdowne?”
“He is a relative of yours?” Lord Neasdon asked in surprise.
“A distant cousin.”
“I had no idea!”
“I see him from time to time,” Craig remarked, “but I live in America when I am at home, which is not very often.”
Zsi-Zsi laughed.
“I can tell you that Craig is an inveterate traveller who goes round and round the world like a meteor, if that is the right description.”
“You must find it very interesting,” Lord Neasdon said.
It was obvious as he spoke that he was not at all interested in the conversation and his eyes were fixed on the Countess.
Craig was aware that she was looking at him with an expression he could not understand.
It seemed almost as if she was pleading with him and at the same time he had the feeling that she was trying to attract him but did not really know how to do so.
There followed an uncomfortable silence when nobody could think of anything else to say, until Craig bowed to the Countess.
“I hope I may have the pleasure of dancing with you later this evening,” he said. “May I say it has been delightful meeting you.”
Then, without waiting for a reply, he moved to Zsi-Zsi’s side saying,
“Let me congratulate an old friend whose party is, as usual, perfection and why should I expect it to be anything else?”
“That is very nicely said, mon cher,” Zsi-Zsi replied slipping her arm through his and drawing him away leaving Lord Neasdon and the Countess alone.
Mission to Monte Carlo Page 7
