The Duke came forward and took the Prince’s hand.
“We give you welcome, William.”
Again the King looked round.
“I’ll not fatigue you, my poor nephew, with needless presentations. Suffice it is that there stands Lord Dorset, whom you know; over there, Lord Danby, whom you do not know; beside him, Killigrew; a little to the right, our good Sedley. A worthless set, I assure you.”
A shout of laughter went up.
“They set me at naught,” complained the King, twinkling.
William smiled mechanically. He never approved of his uncle’s lack of formality.
Charles beckoned to Roxhythe.
“David! … There is one here, William, whom you know better than us all. Our very dear Roxhythe.”
William turned sharply. Roxhythe made his profoundest leg.
“I am delighted to see Your Highness in England again,” he said.
“Thank you, milor’. I too am delighted to be here. Sire” … he made a sign to his suite. “May I present my friend Bentinck?”
The King was graciously pleased to extend his hand. One by one William presented his little court. Charles had some good-humoured word for each. When Roderick made his bow, he detained him.
“Mr. Dart? We are very pleased to meet you. We do know your brother.”
Roderick bowed again, flushing. He disapproved of Charles most strongly, but there did not live the man who could resist his fascination.
Charles addressed himself to William.
“We grudge you our countrymen,” he smiled. “We can ill spare our patriots.” His glance took in Mynheer Heenvliet. He drew William to a couch and waved his hand to the rest of the room.
“You may all continue your conversations!”
He kept the Prince beside him for some moments, and then he suggested that William might like to retire. William assented thankfully. He went out, escorted by his suite.
Roxhythe strolled up to the King. Arm in arm they walked to one of the windows.
“He has not changed much,” said my lord.
The King shivered.
“Still the iceberg, only that now he is more icy. I had forgotten his eyes.”
“They are rather wonderful, are they not, Sir? And you have not seen them flash.”
William surveyed his bedchamber silently. Everything was very gorgeous, very rich. He turned to the three men who were with him.
“I am tired,” he said. “The journey was very tedious. What have we tonight?”
Heenvliet answered him.
“A State dinner, Sir. You would do well to rest.”
William nodded.
“Yes. How close it is in here! Dart, will you open me that window? And then I will be alone for a while. Bentinck, stay with me.”
The two other men went out. William sank into a chair.
“What an atmosphere! What splendour!”
Bentinck sat down.
“It is a marvellously well appointed palace, Sir. His Majesty was very gracious.”
“Yes. I had forgotten that this was your first visit. You see that my uncle commands great respect for all his lack of etiquette.”
“A curious people these English,” commented Bentinck. “But King Charles is very royal for all his joviality.”
“I have always observed it. You saw my bride to be?”
“Yes, Sir. She is comely enough.”
“And pert.” William sighed. “I suppose it must be.”
“She is very young, Sir.”
“But she has been bred in this atmosphere of luxury and vice. And her father is a Catholic. God knows how it will end.”
Bentinck spoke soothingly.
“Your Highness is despondent today. So young a girl should not be difficult to influence.”
“Mayhap. Did you remark Lord Roxhyt’e?”
“I did, Sir. It was my first sight of him. He is very high with the King, I am told.”
William looked up.
“Oh? You have had speech with one of them?”
“With one Digby, Sir, while you were with the King. It seems that this Roxhyt’e is very powerful.”
“I know. I mislike him, and yet—” he broke off, closing his eyes. Presently he opened them again. “A State dinner, you said?”
“Yes, Sir. In your honour. Shall I tell Jan to put out your dress?”
“Thank you.”
Bentinck left the room. When he returned the Prince was frowning slightly.
“William, did you tell him the orange satin?”
“No, Sir. Do you wish to wear it?”
“I think so. We’ll not appear shabby before these English.”
“Very well, Sir.” Again Bentinck went out.
It was not until next evening that Roderick visited his brother. He found him in, and was taken at once to his room.
Christopher came forward.
“Well, Dick!”
They clasped hands.
“I expected you,” said Christopher. He drew a chair away from the window. “Sit down. I have ordered dinner.”
“You were very sure of me,” smiled Dart. “As it happened it was hard to leave His Highness. They feast him again tonight.”
“Yes? I thought you would come, though.” He moved to the door. “Excuse me one moment.”
Roderick heard him call to the serving-maid. This new Christopher was almost a stranger to him.
“Well, Chris! After seven long years!”
“So it is! I’faith, it does not seem as much. Did you arrive without mishap?”
“A fairly smooth passage. It is good to be in England again.”
“It must be. How have you fared since I saw you?”
“Very well. I have been at the Prince his side throughout.”
“Then you have seen much. How is the Prince?”
“Tired after the gaieties of last night. We are ill-used to such late hours. We live very quietly when we are not in camp.”
“Yes? I suppose there were many people present yesterday?”
“The room was crowded. I saw some familiar faces, but there were many whom I did not know at all. Lord Danby for one.”
Christopher smiled.
“Oh, we have suffered Danby for some time now. An elegant gentleman, is he not? Quite amusing when he likes.”
“You know him?”
“I have met him several times at Bevan House. Was Roxhythe there last night?”
Roderick looked at him narrowly.
“Yes. My Lord was in high good spirits. He had us all a-laughing many times.”
“I expect so. And Sedley?”
“Yes. Chris, I was very pleased to hear that you had left Roxhythe.” So he blundered tactlessly on to the raw.
“Were you?”
“You saw the truth of what I said?”
A little of my lord’s famous manner entered into Christopher. Quite unconsciously he adopted that soft drawl.
“I really forget what you did say. I left Roxhythe for private reasons.”
Roderick stared at him. Then he smiled.
“Very
