I saw clearly what it meant.
The next message would disclose the whereabouts of the Lady Claire, at that time the only lady, as they thought, in the case, and the lady with the real child.
It would soon be impossible for me to make use of the second with the sham child to draw the pursuers after her.
In this it must be understood that, although I had no certainty of it, I took it for granted that the little Lord Aspdale was with his aunt and not with his mother, who, as I sincerely believed, had already reached Fuentellato.
It was essential now to persuade my Lord Blackadder and his people that this was the case, and induce them to embark upon a hasty expedition into Italy.
I therefore concocted a cunning plan with l'Echelle for leading them astray.
It was easy enough to arrange for the despatch of a telegram from Milan to me at Aix, a despatch to be handed in at the former place by a friend of l'Echelle's, but purporting to come from Lady Claire.
My man had any number of acquaintances in the railway service, one or more passed daily through Aix with the express trains going east or west; and with the payment of a substantial douceur the trick was done.
The spurious message reached me in Aix early on the third morning, and the second act in the fraud was that l'Echelle should allow Falfani to see the telegram.
He carried out the deception with consummate skill, pretending to pick my pocket of the telegram, which he then put under Falfani's eyes.
The third act was to be my immediate exit from Aix.
I made no secret of this, very much the reverse.
Notice was given at the hotel bureau to prepare my bill, and insert my name on the list of departures by the afternoon express, the 1.41 p.m. for Modane and Italy.
It was quite certain that I should not be allowed to go off alone.
And suddenly, like a bolt from the blue, came a complete change in the situation.
Not long after I had consumed my morning cafe au lait and rolls, the conventional petit dejeuner of French custom, a letter was brought to my bedside, where, again according to rule, I was resting after my bath.
I expected no letters, no one except the porter of my London club knew my present address, and the interval was too short since my telegram to him to allow of letters reaching me in the ordinary course of the post.
I turned over the strange missive, the address in a lady's hand quite unknown to me, examining it closely, as one does when mystified, guessing vainly at a solution instead of settling it by instantly breaking the seal.
When at last I opened it my eye went first to the signature.
To my utter amazement I read the name,
"Henriette Standish."
It was dated from the Hotel de Modena, Aix-les-Bains, a small private hotel quite in the suburbs in the direction of the Grand Port, and it ran as follows:
"Dear Colonel Annesley:—I have only just seen in the Gazette des Etrangers that you are staying in Aix.
I also am here, having been unable to proceed on my journey as I intended after meeting my sister at Culoz.
I thought of remaining here a few days longer, but I have also read Lord Blackadder's name in the list.
"What is to be done?
I am horribly frightened, and greatly vexed with myself for having put myself in this painful and most embarrassing position.
"May I venture to ask your counsel and help?
I beg and entreat you will come to me as soon as possible after receipt of this.
Ask for Mrs. Blair.
Although I have never had the pleasure of meeting you, your extreme kindness to Claire emboldens me to make this appeal to you.
I shall be at home all the morning.
Indeed, I have hardly left the house yet, and certainly shall not do so now that I know he is here.
"Always very gratefully and sincerely yours,
"Henriette Standish."
Here was a pretty kettle of fish!
Lady Blackadder in Aix!
Was there ever such a broken reed of a woman?
Already she had spoilt her sister's nice combinations by turning back from Amberieu when the road to safety with her darling child lay open to her. Now for the second time she was putting our plans in jeopardy.
How could I hope to lure her pursuers away to a distance when she was here actually on the spot, and might be run into at any moment?
For the present all my movements were in abeyance. I had reason to fear—how much reason I did not even then realize—they would be interfered with, and that a terrible collapse threatened us.
I dressed hurriedly and walked down to the Hotel Modena, where I was instantly received.
"Mrs. Blair" had given orders that I should be admitted the moment I appeared.
I had had one glimpse of this tall, graceful creature, who so exactly reproduced the beautiful traits of her twin sister that she might indeed at a distance be taken for her double.
There was the same proud carriage of her head, the same lithe figure, even her musical voice when she greeted me with shy cordiality might have been the voice of Lady Claire.
But the moment I looked into her face I saw a very distinct difference, not in outward feature, but in the inward character that is revealed by the eyes, the lines of the mouth, the shape of the lower jaw.
In Lady Claire the first were steady and spoke of high courage, of firm, fixed purpose; the mouth, as perfectly curved as Cupid's bow, was resolute and determined, the well-shaped, rounded chin was held erect, and might easily become defiant, even aggressive.
Lady Henriette was evidently cast in another mould.
Her eyes, of the same violet blue, were pretty, pleading, soft in expression, but often downcast and deprecating; the mouth and chin were weak and irresolute.
It was the same lovely face as Lady Claire's, and to some might seem the sweeter, indicating the tender, clinging, yielding nature that commonly appeals to the stronger sex; but to me she lost in every respect by comparison with her more energetic, self-reliant sister.