The Launching of Roger Brook

that at times you must have managed to meet in private. Loving her as you do you would have been scarce human had you not attempted it.'

Roger sighed. 'Were anyone else to question me on this I'd deny it with my last breath; but, to you, I will avow it. Athenais and I have met many times in secret and we love one another very dearly.'

'I should have had the wit to guess it,' murmured the Vicomte; then, after a moment, he added: 'That being so, I find it surprising that you did not attempt to elope together.'

'We toyed with the idea,' Roger admitted. 'But almost from the first both of us knew in our hearts that we could never marry.'

'Why so?'

'The sword of religion lies between us. I am a Protestant, and neither of us are prepared to give up our faith for that of the other. We recognised that our love must remain no more than a romantic attachment.'

'Yet you knew that she must marry, and marry soon?'

'We accepted that. But both of us pinned our hopes upon her being given a husband who would love her and whom she would grow to love.'

' 'Twas a slender hope,' remarked the Vicomte cynically, 'seeing the manner in which such marriages are arranged.'

'Nay, not so slender in her case. Both she and I knew of your devotion to her and discussed it many times. She vowed that she would be mighty pleased to have so true a gentleman as yourself for her husband and would give all her mind to proving a good and loyal wife. 'Twas as savage a blow to us as to you when her father chose M. de Caylus for her.'

'Aye, 'twas damnable ill-fortune; and I feel it to be more than ever so in view of what you tell me. Her romantic love for you is a thing apart. If her thoughts were already favourably engaged towards me, I vow I would have won her affections after a few months of marriage, and made her happy. Whereas, instead, her situation has become most desperate.'

'I know it,' muttered Roger gloomily. 'Count Lucien ruined my whole plan. Once 'tis noised abroad that her father's secretary fought on her behalf everyone will put the worst construction on it. Even were it given out that I was a Prince of the Blood, who had been living in the household incognito, it could not save her from the scandal of having had an affair while still an unmarried girl.'

The Vicomte nodded. 'M. de Rochambeau will force her to take the veil. 'Tis his only possible course, consonant with honour, in such a situation.'

'Yes; 'tis a tragedy; and I have but one consolation. She swore to me upon the cross that she would rather enter a convent than wed de Caylus; so my act to-night has burdened her with no worser fate than she would otherwise have decreed for herself.'

'Do you really believe that she would have carried out her threat?'

'I am certain of it. 'Twas all I could manage a week back to dissuade her from defying her father; and when I told her I had arranged this meeting she would have burnt her boats to prevent it, had I not vowed that I meant to fight de Caylus whether she did or no.'

'Will you attempt to see her before leaving?' 'Nay. We have no rendezvous, and 'twould make her case worse than ever did I force my way in upon her. I had meant to arrange a meeting to-morrow morning but now I dare not stay for that.' As he spoke, Roger urged his mount into a canter and added: 'Gomel Every moment is precious. Now our horses are rested let us push on.'

After another long gallop they eased their pace again and the Vicomte said: 'Mon ami, I cannot keep this up. My old wound is paining me too badly. You must go on alone.'

'Morte dieu!' exclaimed Roger. 'I had forgotten it, and marvel now that you have stayed the pace so far. 'Tis the best of reasons for us remaining together, though; for should it reopen it may cause you to faint.'

' 'Twill not reopen, provided I take my time for the rest of the way. But that, you cannot afford to do.'

Roger knew it only too well; but, once again, he was not thinking on the same lines as his companion. The Vicomte had in mind the hue and cry that would soon be raised after the slayer of de Caylus, whereas he was concerned with the urgency of his getting back to Paris for the conference at which the Archbishop of Toulouse was to give his fateful decision. The meeting with de Caylus had taken much longer than he had thought would be the case and he still had over half the distance back to the Hotel de Rochambeau to cover. He would be late anyhow, and if he delayed to keep de la Tour d'Auvergne company he might miss the meeting altogether; yet he felt that he could not leave his friend who was now suffering, as well as in danger on his account; so he said firmly: 'I'll not go on and leave you exposed to a greater risk of capture than myself.'

'For me, capture would mean, at worst, a reprimand from the King and a spell in the Bastille; whereas for you it would mean death.'

'True. Yet seeing the jeopardy in which you have placed yourself for me, I cannot bring myself to leave you.'

De la Tour d'Auvergne shook his head impatiently. 'I mean to seek sanctuary on my father's estates; as, once there, 'tis most unlikely that anything less than a charge of treason would be pressed against me. But the roads to Brittany and England are divergent, so we would have to part company in another hour or two in any event. I beg, nay, I insist, that you should use the time to the best possible advantage. Otherwise, if you are caught, I'll always believe that but for me you would have got away, and have your death upon my conscience.'

'In that case you leave me no option,' Roger replied with a feeling of relief that he could not repress. 'But I pray you make what haste you can, so as to be well clear of Paris before morning.'

' 'Twill be hours yet before warrants can be issued for us.'

'I trust so. But since you are in no condition to ride hard 'tis doubly important that you should set out for Brittany with a minimum of delay.'

'I shall not ride,' the Vicomte announced, 'but travel by post-chaise with a team of six; and while my man is making the necessary arrangements I intend to call at the Hotel de Rochambeau.'

'You plan, then, to wait on Athehais and tell her what has occurred?' said Roger; and, as de la Tour d'Auvergne nodded, he went on quickly: I'm mighty glad of that. I had been racking my wits without avail, for some means of getting our news to her. I pray you make my adieus and explain the necessity under which I he to depart without taking leave of her in person.'

The Vicomte hesitated. 'I intended only to make my own adieus and, whilst doing so, offer formal condolences on her fiance having been killed in a duel, as though I had but just heard it. Since she knew of your intentions she will realise immediately who killed him.'

'Heavens, manl Why stick at that?' Roger expostulated. ' 'Tis but half the tale and will not give her warning of the storm which is about to break above her lovely head as a result of her brother's malice and stupidity. 'Twas to prepare her to meet her father's wrath on my account that I was seeking some way to get news to her; and, since you've a mind to say farewell to her before setting out for Brittany, 'tis the perfect opportunity.'

'That's sound enough and, could I see her alone, I would willingly both tell her all and give her your messages. But you seem to forget that Madame Marie-Ange is certain to be present at our interview.'

'What if she is! She, too, will be in full possession of the truth by to-morrow morning. There is naught to be gained by withholding it from her overnight. I beg you to speak openly before both of them, so that at least Athenais may have a little time to take stock of her situation.'

'I had not looked at it that way before, but you are right,' the Vicomte declared. 'Now you must tarry no longer. God speed you, and a safe journey.'

'And to you, dear friend!' replied Roger feelingly. 'I'll ne'er forget your kindness, and I trust we'll meet again in happier circumstances.'

The two young men clasped hands firmly, then Roger pressed his knees into his horse and urged it forward.

It was nearly half-past nine and darkness had fallen. The conference had been called for ten o'clock, and Roger doubted if he could get to it much before half-past. He no longer cared a straw if the Marquis should be angry at his lateness, but he was desperately anxious now lest the meeting should prove a short one and the decision be taken before his arrival. Since he could not have galloped his horse for the best part of nine miles he had so far lost little time unavoidably; but in an endeavour to make up some of the leeway caused by de Caylus's reluctance to fight, he dug his heels into his horse's flanks and forced him to go all out.