“I propose to stay here.”

She bowed her head. What secrets those eyes held! Indeed she was like a snake. Her eyes were steady; her mouth cold; one sensed the poison dart was ready, waiting.

“We could be at war at any moment. The Duke, my husband, is most concerned.”

I felt the colour flush my cheeks. I wanted to say: No! My husband.

And do you think / do not know of his concern?

This was foolish, of course. I was not being reasonable. She had no notion that I was Maximilian’s wife. This cold appraising manner was the one accorded to all those whom she considered far beneath her.

“I should advise all foreigners to go,” she said.

“But you do not wish to. You are enthralled by your post.” Her lips curled, but there was no smile in her eyes; it was as though she were shrugging her shoulders at my folly, telling me that if I were wise I would go; but if I would not, then stay and take the consequences.

“I prefer to stay. It is good of Your Grace to concern yourself with me.”

That was hypocritical for I knew very well that there was nothing good about her concern. She was not in the least anxious for my welfare.

She wanted something.

“Since you will stay,” she said, T will call upon your help. I wonder whether you will do as I ask. “

I sensed that she was playing with me tormenting me in some way. I was convinced in that moment that she knew; but in the next I was telling myself that I was fanciful.

“The war is coming,” she went on.

“There is no doubt of it. I plan to turn one of the smaller schlosses into a hospital. We shall need all the helpers we can get. Are you prepared to join us. Miss Trant?”

I was astonished. What an absurd imagination I had! Had she after all merely come to ask my help in a hospital! And here I was imagining that she was planning to murder me!

I was tremendously relieved and I think I showed it.

“I would do anything I could to help,” I said warmly.

“I must tell you, though, that I have had no experience of nursing.”

“Few of us have. We may have to learn. Then, Miss Trant, can we count on your help?”

“If this war should take place then I should be eager to give my services.”

“Thank you. Miss Trant. That is good of you. I have the schloss in mind. It is called the Landhaus because the Government used to sit there years ago. You have seen it?”

I said I had not.

“It is on the other side of the mountain and easily accessible. I trust that we may not need it, but we have to be prepared.” The cold eyes looked straight into mine.

“It’s no use waiting for events to catch us. We must be ready to meet them when they come. You agree, I am sure.”

“Yes, I do.”

She waved her hand rather imperiously to denote that the interview was over. I rose and went to the door.

When I reached it she said: “I shall be calling on your help soon.”

I said I would be ready.

As I went out I almost fell into Frau Graben.

“Come to my sitting-room,” she said, ‘and I’ll give you a cup of tea.

“

I followed her there; the kettle was already on the boil.

“There,” said Frau Graben as she poured out.

“What do you make of that?”

There was no need to ask how she knew the gist of the conversation. I knew and she knew I knew that she had been listening all the time.

“I suppose it’s wise to be prepared. If there is a war there will be casualties and it is well to have hospitals.”

“I wonder why she came to see you.”

“She will want as many helpers as she can get.”

I know. I know. But why come to see yow? Is her High and Mighty Grace going to interview all those who will be called in to help? “

“Perhaps she thinks as I’m a foreigner my case is different.

She warned me I/should leave, as you heard. “

Frau Graben narrowed her eyes.

“I wonder what she knows. They`’ve got spies everywhere. You can depend upon it Maxi’s visits here have been noted. And why should he come here, they’ll be asking themselves, and when they ask themselves a question like that they come up with the same answer every time. A woman!”

“She gave no indication that she knew.”

“As if she would! Close, she is. Cold as ice on top. And what’s underneath? I wonder what she’ll do. People! They’re worth watching.

If she thinks you’re just another woman she might plague you for a bit, but if she knew you were his true and lawful wife . ” Frau Graben began to laugh so much I thought she would choke.

“It seems to amuse you,” I said coldly.

“Sometimes I think you’re a wicked woman.”

“I have my parts like everyone else. People-you never can be sure, can you?”

How true that was! One could never be sure only of the one who was closest to you.

Oh Maximilian, I prayed, come back soon.

The next day a messenger arrived from the Count. He came in a carriage with the arms blazoned on it. They were so like the ducal arms that at first I thought that Maximilian was back. My disappointment was intense.

Frau Graben had, of course, seen the carriage and ascertained the reason for its coming.

“It’s from Fredy,” she told me.

“You’re to go to his schloss. He wants to consult you about the children’s lessons.”

I stared at her in dismay. She nodded grimly.

“We can’t disobey an order from the Count not until you’re recognized, you know.” She giggled.

“But he didn’`t say anything about your going alone. Though I doubt not that he has that in mind. I know Fredy. I’ll come with you.”

I was glad of her company; she always brought a touch of lightness into everything that happened. Her intense interest in what was going on and her determination to extract the ultimate excitement from it was infectious.

“Fredy won’t be very pleased to see me,” she chuckled.

“But Maxi left you in my care, remember, and I’m not one to forget my obligations.”

Her eyes danced with excitement. I believed she would rather have something tragic happen than nothing at all.

We reached the Count’s schloss. It was not unlike the ducal one, being only slightly less grand.

“Fredy imagines himself the Duke,” grunted Frau Graben.

“As I’ve said to him more than once in the old days, as long as he keeps it to his imagination I’ll not quarrel with that.”

We passed the sentries who all knew Frau Graben, and went into the Rittersaal where a servant in the splendid livery of the Count’s household-as grand as the traditional ducal one and scarcely any different took us into an anteroom.

The Count himself joined us there. His eyes narrowed when they saw Frau Graben.

“You! You old meddler,” he said.

“Now, Fredy, remember whom you’re talking to.”

“I did not send for you.”

“Naturally I came. I can’t have young ladies from my household visiting unescorted.”

Although he was angry, I saw that she could still extract some sort of obedience from him. She could by a word or a look transport both the Count and Maximilian back to their childhood. She must have been a powerful force in the nursery, and that power lingered. She exasperated them but still kept that hold on their affections. This undoubtedly proved the truth of her observations about people. There were so many different sides to their character and the Count, who was undoubtedly an unscrupulous man, could remember the affection he had for his old nurse.

“You wanted to see Miss Trant. Well, I’ve brought her to you.”

“You will wait here,” he said to her.

“Miss Trant will come with me.”

She could say nothing to that and I must go with him; but it was a great comfort to know that she was waiting for me.

He shut the door firmly on her and I followed him up a wide staircase to a small panelled room. There was a window in the embrasure with window-seats, and the magnificent views, which had become almost a commonplace, were evident.

“Now, Miss Trant,” he said, ‘pray be seated. ” He brought a chair for me and placed it so that the bright light from the window was on my face. He seated himself in the window-seat, the light behind him. He folded his arms and studied me intently.

“How are the children progressing with their lessons? question which he had not brought me here to answer, I knew.

I told him that they were progressing satisfactorily.

“I have become very interested in their studies since you arrived.” There was a gleam of humour in his face. He was implying of course that he was interested in me.

“It is a fair distance to Klocksburg and I am a busy man. I should like to see more of them, so I am going to suggest that they come here.”

“I think it would be a mistake to move them,” I said quickly.

“Indeed. Why so?”

“K-locks burg has always been their home. The servants are familiar to them.”

“They can always visit Klocksburg and I do not wish them to become attached to servants.”

“They feel very secure under Frau Graben’s rule.”

“I don’t doubt it,” he said grimly.

“But I want the boys to be men, not little chickens cowering under the old hen’s wing. Moreover, it would be pleasant to see more of you. Miss Trant. You are a very interesting woman.”

Thank you. “

“Don’t thank me. Thank the powers above that made you so.”

I stood up.

“I think I will leave now.”

“Spoken like a Duchess! My God, you have the air! You have acquired that since you`’ve been here. Of course, you were always ready to express your disapproval. Remember our first meeting? But you have changed since then. It is since my cousin returned.”