for your journey. I pray to God that He may aid you to persuade the Prussians to act in this emergency; but, meanwhile, we will take our measures here. If Prussia acts not with us, England will act alone. I intend this day to give orders for the mobilisation of the British Fleet.'
* * * * *
Late that evening Roger went aboard a frigate that was lying off Gravesend, and sailed in her on the night- tide. He found himself in the extraordinary position of not only carrying Mr. Pitt's despatches but with letters of marque recommending him as a person whose opinion should be asked and given due weight. A little over twenty- four hours later he was in The Hague, and having the British Minister roused from his bed.
When Sir James Harris had read the despatches addressed jto him he exclaimed: 'Thank God that Mr. Pitt has at last decided to support the Stadtholder by force of arms. 'Tis the policy that I have been urging on him through our Foreign Secretary, my Lord Carmarthen, for these past two years.'
Roger found Sir James extremely well informed, immensely competent and, to him personally, kindness itself. They immediately took a great liking to one another and, within two hours of his arrival, the Minister asked him to accompany him to an early morning conference with Baron Goetz, with whose collaboration he had been striving to stave off the French domination of the United Provinces.
That same morning Roger left with Baron Goetz in his travelling coach for Munster, the headquarters of the Duke of Brunswick's army. There followed forty-eight hours of almost uninterrupted conferences at which the Duke consulted with his senior commanders and numerous German Princes who were on his staff. Roger played little part in these deliberations, but he found his German good enough to understand the gist of what was going on and, at times, was able to corroborate a point through an interpreter.
On the gth of September the Duke acted and launched his army into the rebellious provinces. The free companies came out, but France did not honour her promise to support them and withdrew the Comte de Maillebois, who was replaced by the Rhinegrave von Salms. He and his Dutch volunteers proved no match for the well-disciplined Prussian army trained by Frederick the Great, and the Dutch nobility declared for the Stadtholder.
On the 16th the French Government issued a declaration that it would not suffer the Constitution of the United Provinces to be violated, and for a few days it looked as if France was going to fight. But Roger had learned that at the beginning of the month both de Castries and de Segur, refusing to serve under the Archbishop, had resigned; so he knew that M. de Rochambeau and the war party no longer had the direction of affairs, and his contention that the French were bluffing proved correct.
On the 20th, after an absence of two years, the Stadtholder entered The Hague with his friends in triumph and to the plaudits of the great mass of the common people. Roger participated in the rejoicings as Sir James's guest. On the 28th he returned to London, his mission accomplished.
*****
After having signed the book at No. 10, he spent two hectic nights with Droopy Ned, then went down to Lymington. His parents could not make enough of him and his father insisted that he must accept the five hundred guineas reward for his capture of Joseph Fouche, so he was well in funds. The Admiral also was most averse to his seeking any fresh employment for at least a year.
On his first morning at home he rode over to seek news of Georgina but there he met with a disappointment. Both Colonel Thursby and his lovely daughter proved to be abroad, and the butler told Roger that Georgina was now Lady Etheredge, having married Sir Humphrey Etheredge some three years before.
While in London Roger had asked Droopy Ned and another gentleman to act for him in the matter of George Gunston, and on the 10th of October he learned that a meeting had been arranged for the 17th.
The duel took place in a secluded part of St. John's Wood, and Gunston had chosen pistols. Both principals refused all offers of mediation on the ground, but agreed that on neither side was the offence mortal. Roger put his bullet into George's shoulder, and George neatly nicked Roger's arm; but neither wound was at all serious.
Both agreed that honour had been satisfied and, like good Englishmen, promised in front of their seconds to bear no malice after the affair. Three nights later they dined together but the evening was a complete frost. Neither of them had a single idea in common and they parted disliking one another every bit as cordially as they had before their duel.
*****
After fulfilling his dinner engagement with George, Roger returned home. Four days later he was just about to go out shooting, with his father, when the Chief Constable of the district was announced, and old Ben said that it was Roger the gentleman had come to see.
The thought that leapt to Roger's mind was that it must be in connection with the duel. He knew that the edicts against duelling were being enforced with considerable rigour, but his ex-adversary had assured him when they had dined together that since both their wounds were slight no action would be taken. However, as Gunston might lose his commission in the event of an official inquiry, Roger was much more concerned for him than for himself, as he went into the library to interview his visitor.
For a few moments they exchanged courteous platitudes, then the Chief Constable came to the point and said: 'The present is one of the most disagreeable tasks I have ever been called on to perform, Mr. Brook. 'Tis for that reason I decided to wait upon you myself. It would appear that you are but recently returned from France and fell into some trouble while in that country?'
'Yes,' Roger agreed quietly. In the back of his mind he had always feared that something of this kind might arise, but did not feel that any good purpose could be served by denying it.
The Chief Constable hesitated awkwardly. 'The fact is, Mr. Brook, although it distresses me mightily, I have here a warrant for your extradition to face a charge of murder.'
Roger smiled a Uttle nervously. ' Tis true that I kttled a man, but 'twas the outcome of a duel. I pray you give me a moment to consult my father on what course I should pursue in this.'
'With pleasure, Mr. Brook. In fact'—the Chief Constable winked a knowing brown eye—'if 'twould be of any service to you I'll willingly forget the matter for twenty-four hours and return to learn, er—your decision then.'
' 'Tis monstrous kind of you,' Roger smiled as he left the room, 'but I would like to speak with my father first.'
When Admiral Brook heard what was afoot he nearly exploded. But he agreed with Roger's own view, that the music should be faced and an appeal made to Mr. Pitt for his intervention.
In consequence, Roger surrendered himself there and then; but on his appearing before the local justices they immediately accepted bail for him, on his father's surety, at the nominal sum of one hundred guineas.
At home once more he immediately wrote a full account of his meeting with de Caylus and sent it to the Prime Minister. But the days that followed were very anxious ones. He knew better than most people the relations which now existed in such matters between England and France. Ever since the signing of the Commercial Treaty in the summer of '86 such warrants for extradition had been promptly honoured in both countries. Contrary to immemorial custom, even debtors who had fled abroad were now being returned in considerable numbers to answer to their creditors; and in a case where murder was the charge only the most exceptional circumstances were likely to hold up tiie execution of the warrant.
On the 30th he received a reply from the Prime Minister's secretary. It simply said that Mr. Pitt would be pleased if Mr. Brook would wait upon him at No. 10 at 4 o'clock in the afternoon of the 4th of November.
The letter could hardly have been more non-committal and, still feeling a considerable degree of anxiety, Roger proceeded to London on the 2nd.
*****
The 3rd of November proved to be a sunny autumn day and that afternoon Roger decided to go for a walk in Hyde Park. As he was strolling beside the drive that led towards Kensington Palace his eye roved over the handsome equipages in which numerous belles of the town were taking an airing.
Suddenly he caught sight of Georgina, being bowled along behind two high-stepping greys. At the same moment she saw him and called to her coachman to bring her barouche to a halt beside the railings. Leaning out from it, she exclaimed:
'Why! Roger Brook! Odds life! Can it in truth be you; or is it a ghost I see?'
'Nay, 'tis indeed myself!' Roger cried. 'And prodigious glad I am at this chance meeting. Egad! You look more ravishing than ever.'
Her billowing skirt of striped taffeta showing beneath a rich fur cloak, and her lovely face aglow from the
