Mr. Grex of Monte Carlo Read online

  CHAPTER IV

  ENTER THE AMERICAN

  Lady Weybourne was lunching on the terrace of Ciro's restaurant with herbrother. She was small, dark, vivacious. Her friends, of whom she hadthousands, all called her Flossie, and she was probably the most popularAmerican woman who had ever married into the English peerage. Herbrother, Richard Lane, on the other hand, was tall, verybroad-shouldered, with a strong, clean-shaven face, inclined bydisposition to be taciturn. On this particular morning he had less eventhan usual to say, and although Lady Weybourne, who was a greatchatterbox, was content as a rule to do most of the talking for herself,his inattention became at last a little too obvious. He glanced upeagerly as every newcomer appeared, and his answers to his sister'scriticisms were sometimes almost at random.

  "Dicky, I'm not at all sure that I'm liking you this morning," sheobserved finally, looking across at him with a critically questioningsmile. "A certain amount of non-responsiveness to my advances I can putup with--from a brother--but this morning you are positivelyinattentive. Tell me your troubles at once. Has Harris been botheringyou, or did you lose a lot of money last night?"

  Considering that the young man's income was derived from an exceedinglywell-invested capital of nine million dollars, and that Harris was theall too perfect captain of his yacht lying then in the harbour, whoseworst complaint was that he had never enough work to do, LadyWeybourne's enquiries might have been considered as merely tentative.Richard shook his head a little gloomily.

  "Those things aren't likely to trouble me," he remarked. "Harris is allright, and I've promised him we'll make up a little party and go over toCannes in a day or two."

  "What a ripping idea!" Lady Weybourne declared, breaking up her thintoast between her fingers. "I'd love it, and so would Harry. We couldeasily get together a delightful party. The Pelhams are here and simplydying for a change, and there's Captain Gardner and Frank Clowes, andlots of nice girls. Couldn't we fix a date, Dick?"

  "Not just yet," her brother replied.

  "And why not?"

  "I am waiting," he told her, "until I can ask the girl I want to go."

  "And why can't you now?" she demanded, with upraised eyebrows. "I'll behostess and chaperone all in one."

  "I can't ask her because I don't know her yet," the young man explaineddoggedly.

  Lady Weybourne leaned back in her chair and laughed.

  "So that's it!" she exclaimed. "Now I know why you're sitting there likean owl this morning! In love with a fair unknown, are you, Dick? Becareful. Monte Carlo is full of young ladies whom it would be just aswell to know a little about before you thought of taking them yachting."

  "This one isn't that sort," the young man said.

  "How do you know that?" she asked, leaning across the table, her headresting on her clasped hands.

  He looked at her almost contemptuously.

  "How do I know!" he repeated. "There are just one or two things thathappen in this world which a man can be utterly and entirely sure of.She is one of them. Say, Flossie," he added, the enthusiasm creeping atlast into his tone, "you never saw any one quite like her in all yourlife!"

  "Do I know her, I wonder?" Lady Weybourne enquired.

  "That's just what I've asked you here to find out," her brother repliedingenuously. "I heard her tell the man she was with this morning--herfather, I believe--about an hour ago, that she would be at Ciro's athalf-past one. It's twenty minutes to two now."

  Lady Weybourne laughed heartily.

  "So that's why you dragged me out of bed and made me come to lunch withyou! Dick, what a fraud you are! I was thinking what a dear,affectionate brother you were, and all the time you were just making useof me."

  "Sorry," the young man said briskly, "but, after all, we needn't standon ceremony, need we? I've always been your pal; gave you a leg up withthe old man, you know, when he wasn't keen on the British alliance."

  She nodded.

  "Oh, I'll do what I can for you," she promised. "If she is any one inparticular I expect I shall know her. What's happening, Dick?"

  The young man's face was almost transformed. His eyes were bright andvery fixed. His lips had come together in a firm, straight line, asthough he were renewing some promise to himself. Lady Weybourne followedthe direction of his gaze. A man and a girl had reached the entrance tothe restaurant and were looking around them as though to select a table.The chief maitre d'hotel had hastened out to receive them. They were,without doubt, people of importance. The man was of medium height, withiron-grey hair and moustache, and a small imperial. He wore lightclothes of perfect cut; patent shoes with white linen gaiters; a blacktie fastened with a pin of opals. He carried himself with an air whichwas unmistakable and convincing. The girl by his side was beautiful. Shewas simply dressed in a tailor-made gown of white serge. Her black hatwas a miracle of smartness. Her hair was of a very light shade ofgolden-brown, her complexion wonderfully fair. Lady Weybourne glanced ather shoes and gloves, at the bag which she was carrying, and the handleof her parasol. Then she nodded approvingly.

  "You don't know her?" Richard asked, in a disappointed whisper.

  She shook her head.

  "Sorry," she admitted, "but I don't. They've probably only justarrived."

  With great ceremony the newcomers were conducted to the best table uponthe terrace. The man was evidently an habitue. He had scarcely taken hisseat before, with a very low bow, the sommelier brought him a smallwine-glass filled with what seemed to be vermouth. While he sipped it hesmoked a Russian cigarette and with a gold pencil wrote out the menu ofhis luncheon. In a few minutes the manager himself came hurrying outfrom the restaurant. His salute was almost reverential. When, after afew moments' conversation, he departed, he did so with the air of onetaking leave of royalty. Lady Weybourne, who was an inquisitive littleperson, was puzzled.

  "I don't know who they are, Dick," she confessed, "but I know the waysof this place well, and I can tell you one thing--they are people ofimportance. You can tell that by the way they are received. Theserestaurant people don't make mistakes."

  "Of course they are people of importance," the young man declared. "Anyone can see that by a glance at the girl. I am sorry you don't knowthem," he went on, "but you've got to find out who they are, and prettyquickly, too. Look here, Flossie. I am a bit useful to you now and then,aren't I?"

  "Without you, my dear Dick," she murmured, "I should never be able tomanage those awful trustees. You are invaluable, a perfect jewel of abrother."

  "Well, I'll give you that little electric coupe you were so keen on lasttime we were in London, if you'll get me an introduction to that girlwithin twenty-four hours."

  Lady Weybourne gasped.

  "What a whirlwind!" she exclaimed. "Dicky, are you, by any chance, inearnest?"

  "In earnest for the first time in my life," he assured her. "Somethinghas got hold of me which I'm not going to part with."

  She considered him reflectively. He was twenty-seven years of age, andnotwithstanding the boundless opportunities of his youth and greatwealth he had so far shown an almost singular indifference to the wholeof the opposite sex, from the fascinating chorus girls of London and NewYork to the no less enterprising young women of his own order. As shesat there studying his features, she felt a sensation almost of awe.There was something entirely different, something stronger in his face.She thought for a moment of their father as she had known him in herchildhood, the founder of their fortunes, a man who had risen from amoderate position to immense wealth through sheer force of will, ofpertinacity. For the first time she saw the same look upon her brother'sface.

  "Well," she sighed, "I shall do my best to earn it. I only hope, Dick,that she is--"

  "She is what?" he demanded, looking at her steadfastly.

  "Oh! not engaged or anything, I mean," Lady Weybourne explained hastily."I must admit, Dick, although I don't suppose any sister is particularlykeen upon her brother's young women, that I think you've shown excellenttaste. She is absolutely the
best style of any one I've seen in MonteCarlo."

  "How are you going to manage that introduction?" he asked bluntly. "Haveyou made any plans?"

  "I don't suppose it will be difficult," she assured him, lighting acigarette and shaking her head at the tray of liqueurs which thesommelier was offering. "Get me some cream for my coffee, Dick. Now I'lltell you," she continued, as the waiter disappeared. "You will have tocall that under-maitre d'hotel. You had better give him a substantialtip and ask him quietly for their names. Then I'll see about the rest."

  "That seems sensible enough," he admitted.

  "And look here, Dick," she went on, "I know how impetuous you are. Don'tdo anything foolish. Remember this isn't an ordinary adventure. If yougo rushing in upon it you'll come to grief."

  "I know," he answered shortly. "I was fool enough to hang about theflower shops and that milliner's this morning. I couldn't help it. Idon't know whether she noticed. I believe she did. Once our eyes didmeet, and although I'll swear she never changed her expression, I feltthat the whole world didn't hold so small a creature as I. Here comesCharles. I'll ask him."

  He beckoned to the maitre d'hotel and talked for a moment about theluncheon. Then he ordered a table for the next day, and slipping a louisinto the man's hand, leaned over and whispered in his ear.

  "I want you to tell me the name of the gentleman and young lady who aresitting over there at the corner table?"

  The maitre d'hotel glanced covertly in the direction indicated. He didnot at once reply. His face was perplexed, almost troubled.

  "I am very sorry, sir," he said hesitatingly, "but our orders are verystrict. Monsieur Ciro does not like anything in the way of gossip aboutour clients, and the gentleman is a very honoured patron. The young ladyis his daughter."

  "Quite right," the young man agreed bluntly. "This isn't an ordinarycase, Charles. You go over to the desk there, write me down the name andbring it, and there's a hundred franc note waiting here for you. No needfor the name to pass your lips."

  The man bowed and retreated. In a few minutes he came back again andlaid a small card upon the table.

  "Monsieur will pardon my reminding him," he begged earnestly, "but if hewill be so good as to never mention this little matter--"

  Richard nodded and waved him away.

  "Sure!" he promised.

  He drew the card towards him and looked at it in a puzzled manner. Thenhe passed it to his sister. Her expression, too, was blank.

  "Who in the name of mischief," he exclaimed softly, "is Mr. Grex!"