If I had not believed that,
I shouldn't have told you that I cared; I should have gone away and never
seen you again. But now--now I know that I shall _never_ be free, never
able to live in England."
He paused, gathering her a little closer into his arms.
"Everything is settled. Russia has helped, and Ruvania is ready to
welcome Nadine's return. . . . She is in Paris, now, waiting for me to
take her there. . . . It has been a long and difficult matter, and the
responsibility of Nadine's well-being in England has been immense. A
year ago, the truth as to her identity leaked out somehow--reached our
enemies' ears, and since then I've never really known an instant's peace
concerning her safety. You remember the attack which was made on her
outside the theatre?"
Diana nodded, shame-faced, remembering its ultimate outcome.
"Well, the man who shot at her was in the pay of the Republic--German
pay, actually. That yarn about the actor down on his luck was cooked up
for the papers, just to throw dust in the eyes of the public. . . . To
watch over Nadine's safety has been my work. Now the time has come when
she can go back and take her place as Grand Duchess of Ruvania. _And I
must go with her_."
"No, no. Why need you go? You'll have done your work, set her securely
on the throne. Ah, Max! don't speak of going, dear." Her voice shook
incontrollably.
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