"After all, Turkey is a shrewd Power. She certainly seems to know whenshe is beaten, and does not intend to make a bad thing seem worse in theeyes of the world."
Well, 'tis a bad wind that blows good to nobody. As _The Mahmoud_ waslost off the Balearics, it cannot have been her that put the marauders onshore and trained her big guns on Ilsin. We take it, therefore, that thelatter must have been a pirate, and as we have taken her derelict in ourwaters, she is now ours in all ways. Anyhow, she is ours, and is thefirst ship of her class in the navy of the Blue Mountains. I am inclinedto think that even if she was--or is still--a Turkish ship, Admiral Rookewould not be inclined to let her go. As for Captain Desmond, I think hewould go straight out of his mind if such a thing was to be evensuggested to him.
It will be a pity if we have any more trouble, for life here is veryhappy with us all now. The Voivode is, I think, like a man in a dream.Teuta is ideally happy, and the real affection which sprang up betweenthem when she and Aunt Janet met is a joy to think of. I had postedTeuta about her, so that when they should meet my wife might not, by anyinadvertence, receive or cause any pain. But the moment Teuta saw hershe ran straight over to her and lifted her in her strong young arms,and, raising her up as one would lift a child, kissed her. Then, whenshe had put her sitting in the chair from which she had arisen when weentered the room, she knelt down before her, and put her face down in herlap. Aunt Janet's face was a study; I myself could hardly say whether atthe first moment surprise or joy predominated. But there could be nodoubt about it the instant after. She seemed to beam with happiness.When Teuta knelt to her, she could only say:
"My dear, my dear, I am glad! Rupert's wife, you and I must love eachother very much." Seeing that they were laughing and crying in eachother's arms, I thought it best to come away and leave them alone. And Ididn't feel a bit lonely either when I was out of sight of them. I knewthat where those two dear women were there was a place for my own heart.
When I came back, Teuta was sitting on Aunt Janet's knee. It seemedrather stupendous for the old lady, for Teuta is such a splendid creaturethat even when she sits on my own knee and I catch a glimpse of us insome mirror, I cannot but notice what a nobly-built girl she is.
My wife was jumping up as soon as I was seen, but Aunt Janet held hertight to her, and said:
"Don't stir, dear. It is such happiness to me to have you there. Ruperthas always been my 'little boy,' and, in spite of all his being such agiant, he is so still. And so you, that he loves, must be my littlegirl--in spite of all your beauty and your strength--and sit on my knee,till you can place there a little one that shall be dear to us all, andthat shall let me feel my youth again. When first I saw you I wassurprised, for, somehow, though I had never seen you nor even heard ofyou, I seemed to know your face. Sit where you are, dear. It is onlyRupert--and we both love him."
Teuta looked at me, flushing rosily; but she sat quiet, and drew the oldlady's white head on her young breast.
JANET MACKELPIE'S NOTES.
_July_ 8, 1907.
I used to think that whenever Rupert should get married or start on theway to it by getting engaged--I would meet his future wife with somethingof the same affection that I have always had for himself. But I know nowthat what was really in my mind was _jealousy_, and that I was reallyfighting against my own instincts, and pretending to myself that I wasnot jealous. Had I ever had the faintest idea that she would be anythingthe least like Teuta, that sort of feeling should never have had even afoothold. No wonder my dear boy is in love with her, for, truth to tell,I am in love with her myself. I don't think I ever met a creature--awoman creature, of course, I mean--with so many splendid qualities. Ialmost fear to say it, lest it should seem to myself wrong; but I thinkshe is as good as a woman as Rupert is as a man. And what more than thatcan I say? I thought I loved her and trusted her, and knew her all Icould, until this morning.
I was in my own room, as it is still called. For, though Rupert tells mein confidence that under his uncle's will the whole estate of Vissarion,Castle and all, really belongs to the Voivode, and though the Voivode hasbeen persuaded to accept the position, he (the Voivode) will not allowanything to be changed. He will not even hear a word of my going, orchanging my room, or anything. And Rupert backs him up in it, and Teutatoo. So what am I to do but let the dears have their way?
Well, this morning, when Rupert was with the Voivode at a meeting of theNational Council in the Great Hall, Teuta came to me, and (after closingthe door and bolting it, which surprised me a little) came and knelt downbeside me, and put her face in my lap. I stroked her beautiful blackhair, and said:
"What is it, Teuta darling? Is there any trouble? And why did you boltthe door? Has anything happened to Rupert?" When she looked up I sawthat her beautiful black eyes, with the stars in them, were overflowingwith tears not yet shed. But she smiled through them, and the tears didnot fall. When I saw her smile my heart was eased, and I said withoutthinking: "Thank God, darling, Rupert is all right."
"I thank God, too, dear Aunt Janet!" she said softly; and I took her inmy arms and laid her head on my breast.
"Go on, dear," I said; "tell me what it is that troubles you?" This timeI saw the tears drop, as she lowered her head and hid her face from me.
"I'm afraid I have deceived you, Aunt Janet, and that you willnot--cannot--forgive me."
"Lord save you, child!" I said, "there's nothing that you could do that Icould not and would not forgive. Not that you would ever do anythingbase, for that is the only thing that is hard to forgive. Tell me nowwhat troubles you."
She looked up in my eyes fearlessly, this time with only the signs oftears that had been, and said proudly:
"Nothing base, Aunt Janet. My father's daughter would not willingly bebase. I do not think she could. Moreover, had I ever done anything baseI should not be here, for--for--I should never have been Rupert's wife!"
"Then what is it? Tell your old Aunt Janet, dearie." She answered mewith another question:
"Aunt Janet, do you know who I am, and how I first met Rupert?"
"You are the Voivodin Teuta Vissarion--the daughter of the Voivode--Or,rather, you were; you are now Mrs. Rupert Sent Leger. For he is still anEnglishman, and a good subject of our noble King."
"Yes, Aunt Janet," she said, "I am that, and proud to be it--prouder thanI would be were I my namesake, who was Queen in the old days. But howand where did I see Rupert first?" I did not know, and frankly told herso. So she answered her question herself:
"I saw him first in his own room at night." I knew in my heart that inwhatever she did had been nothing wrong, so I sat silent waiting for herto go on:
"I was in danger, and in deadly fear. I was afraid I might die--not thatI fear death--and I wanted help and warmth. I was not dressed as I amnow!"
On the instant it came to me how I knew her face, even the first time Ihad seen it. I wished to help her out of the embarrassing part of herconfidence, so I said:
"Dearie, I think I know. Tell me, child, will you put on the frock . . .the dress . . . costume you wore that night, and let me see you in it?It is not mere idle curiosity, my child, but something far, far abovesuch idle folly."
"Wait for me a minute, Aunt Janet," she said, as she rose up; "I shallnot be long." Then she left the room.
In a very few minutes she was back. Her appearance might have frightenedsome people, for she was clad only in a shroud. Her feet were bare, andshe walked across the room with the gait of an empress, and stood beforeme with her eyes modestly cast down. But when presently she looked upand caught my eyes, a smile rippled over her face. She threw herselfonce more before me on her knees, and embraced me as she said: