The Great Impersonation by E. Phillips Oppenheim (books to read now txt) 📕

doing our job here in the most perfect and praiseworthy fashion. We neither of us have the ghost of a secret to hide from his employers.”

“In a sense that is true,” Seaman admitted.

“Well, then, cheer up,” Dominey enjoined. “Take a little walk with us, and we will see whether Parkins cannot find us a bottle of that old Burgundy for lunch. How does that sound?”

“If you will excuse me from taking the walk,” Seaman begged, “I would like to remain here until your return.”

“You are more likely to do harm,” Dominey reminded him, “and set the servants talking, if you show too much interest in this man’s disappearance.”

“I shall be careful,” Seaman promised, “but there are certain things which I cannot help. I work always from instinct, and my instinct is never wrong. I will ask no more questions of your servants, but I know that there is something mysterious about the sudden departure of Johann Wolff.”

Dominey and Rosamund returned about one o’clock to find a note from Seaman, which the former tore open as his companion stood warming her feet in front of the fire. There were only a few lines:

I am following an idea. It takes me to London. Let us meet there within a few days.

S.

“Has he really gone?” Rosamund asked.

“Back to London.”

She laughed happily. “Then we shall lunch à deux after all! Delightful! I have my wish!”

There was a sudden glow in Dominey’s face, a glow which was instantly suppressed.

“Shall I ever have mine?” he asked, with a queer little break in his voice.

XXV

Terniloff and Dominey, one morning about six months later, lounged underneath a great elm tree at Ranelagh, having iced drinks after a round of golf. Several millions of perspiring Englishmen were at the same moment studying with dazed wonder the headlines in the midday papers.

“I suppose,” the Ambassador remarked, as he leaned back in his chair with an air of lazy content, “that I am being accused of fiddling while Rome burns.”

“Everyone has certainly not your confidence in the situation,” Dominey rejoined calmly.

“There is no one else who knows quite so much,” Terniloff reminded him.

Dominey sipped his drink for a moment or two in silence.

“Have you the latest news of the Russian mobilisation?” he asked. “They had some startling figures in the city this morning.”

The Prince waved his hand.

“My faith is not founded on these extraneous incidents,” he replied. “If Russia mobilises, it is for defence. No nation in the world would dream of attacking Germany, nor has Germany the slightest intention of imperilling her coming supremacy amongst the nations by such crude methods as military enterprise. Serbia must be punished, naturally, but to that, in principle, every nation in Europe is agreed. We shall not permit Austria to overstep the mark.”

“You are at least consistent, Prince,” Dominey remarked.

Terniloff smiled.

“That is because I have been taken behind the scenes,” he said. “I have been shown, as is the privilege of ambassadors, the mind of our rulers. You, my friend,” he went on, “spent your youth amongst the military faction. You think that you are the most important people in Germany. Well, you are not. The Kaiser has willed it otherwise. By the by, I had yesterday a most extraordinary cable from Stephanie.”

Dominey ceased swinging his putter carelessly over the head of a daisy and turned his head to listen.

“Is she on the way home?”

“She is due in Southampton at any moment now. She wants to know where she can see me immediately upon her arrival, as she has information of the utmost importance to give me.”

“Did she ever tell you the reason for her journey to Africa?”

“She was most mysterious about it. If such an idea had had any logical outcome, I should have surmised that she was going there to seek information as to your past.”

“She gave Seaman the same idea,” Dominey observed. “I scarcely see what she has to gain. In Africa, as a matter of fact,” he went on, “my life would bear the strictest investigation.”

“The whole affair is singularly foolish,” the Prince declared, “Still, I am not sure that you have been altogether wise. Even accepting your position, I see no reason why you should not have obeyed the Kaiser’s behest. My experience of your Society here is that love affairs between men and women moving in the same circles are not uncommon.”

“That,” Dominey urged, “is when they are all tarred with the same brush. My behaviour towards Lady Dominey has been culpable enough as it is. To have placed her in the position of a neglected wife would have been indefensible. Further, it might have affected the position which it is in the interests of my work that I should maintain here.”

“An old subject,” the Ambassador sighed, “best not rediscussed. Behold, our womenkind!”

Rosamund and the Princess had issued from the house, and the two men hastened to meet them. The latter looked charming, exquisitely gowned, and stately in appearance. By her side Rosamund, dressed with the same success but in younger fashion, seemed almost like a child. They passed into the luncheon room, crowded with many little parties of distinguished and interesting people, brilliant with the red livery of the waiters, the profusion of flowers⁠—all that nameless elegance which had made the place society’s most popular rendezvous. The women, as they settled into their places, asked a question which was on the lips of a great many English people of that day.

“Is there any news?”

Terniloff perhaps felt that he was the cynosure of many eager and anxious eyes. He smiled light-heartedly as he answered:

“None. If there were, I am convinced that it would be good. I have been allowed to play out my titanic struggle against Sir Everard without interruption.”

“I suppose the next important question is to whether it is to be peace or war is, how did you play?” the Princess asked.

“I surpassed myself,” her husband replied, “but of course no ordinary human golfer is