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Page 30
When he had finished his note he went straight up in the lift to
the corridor where Stella's room was and there saw in the distance
her raging and discomfited late betrothed evidently keeping watch
and ward. Count Roumovski did not hesitate a second; he advanced
to the door and knocked firmly on the panel, slipping his letter
through the little slide for such things before Mr. Medlicott
could bound forward and prevent him.
"A letter for you, mademoiselle, from me, Sasha Roumovski," he
said in French in a loud enough voice for the occupant of the room
to hear, and then he stood still for a second, as both men heard
Stella jump from her bed and rush to the door to take the missive
before Martha from the place at the window could intercept it.
"Do not dare to touch that, Martha," they heard her voice say
haughtily, and then she called out, "Sasha, I have it safe and I
will do exactly as you direct."
Count Roumovski looked at Eustace Medlicott, who stood as a
spread-eagle in front of the door--and then, smiling, went calmly
on his way.
The Reverend Mr. Medlicott shook with burning rage. He was being
made to look ridiculous and he was absolutely impotent to
retaliate in any way. He would bring scandal upon them all if
waiters and other guests saw him guarding Miss Rawson's actual
door, and he could not sit outside like a valet; the whole thing
was unspeakably maddening, and murderous thoughts flooded his
brain.
"Give me that letter this minute, Stella," he said in an almost
inarticulate voice through the keyhole, he was so shaken with
passion. "Open the door and let Martha hand it to me. You are
disgracing us all."
"It is you who are doing that, Eustace," Stella said from beyond
the panel, lifting the slide that her voice might be heard
distinctly. "You have no authority over me at all. I told Aunt
Caroline I did not intend to continue my engagement with you--but
even if I had not decided to break it off, this conduct of yours
would now be sufficient reason. How dare you all treat me as
though I were a naughty child or insane!"
"Because you are both," Mr. Medlicott returned, "and must be
controlled and compelled into a proper behavior."
Stella was silent--she would not be so undignified as to parley
further. She got back into bed, taking not the slightest notice of
the maid, and then proceeded to read her letter.
Her lover had explained in it the situation and advised her to
dress at once, and then if menaced in any way to ring the bell.
Ivan would be waiting outside to obey her slightest orders, and to
warn his master if any fresh moves were made, so that when the
waiter or chambermaid came in answer to her summons she might be
sure of extra help at hand. Then she was to walk out and down into
the hall, where he, Sasha, would be watching for her and ready to
take her to the Excelsior Hotel, where that same evening would
arrive the Princess Urazov. "But if they do not molest you,
dearest," he wrote, "do not leave your room until seven o'clock,
because I wish my sister to be in the hall ready to receive you
that your family can see that I only desire to do everything
right."
And as she finished reading, Stella got up and told Martha to
prepare her things.
"I have no orders from Mrs. Ebley for that, Miss Stella," the
woman answered sullenly. "I do wonder what has come over
everybody. I never was in such an uncomfortable position in my
life."
Stella made no answer, but proceeded to dress herself, and then
sat down to read again the letters she had received in the last
twenty-four hours.
If her family, who knew her, could treat her in this abominable
way, when she had committed no fault except the very human one of
desiring to be the arbiter of her own fate, she surely owed no
further obedience to them. So she waited calmly for a fresh turn
of events.
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