“Of course, it is impossible that the affair can be hidden from him.  It is public property now; and therefore, I sent off one of my grooms, an hour since, with a letter to him.

“Hitherto, I had not written to him about my daughter’s disappearance.  Knowing he would, on hearing of it, at once hasten here, where he could do no good and would only add to my trouble, I thought it best to let matters go on as they were.  I had been doing everything that was possible, and to have his troubles as well as my own on my hands would have driven me to distraction.

“The groom is to change horses at every post house, and to use the greatest possible speed.  You may be sure that Monsieur de la Vallee will do the same, and that in six days he will be here.  I have given him the merest outline of the affair, and have not mentioned the name of Anne’s abductor.  Had I done so, it is probable that Philip would have gone straight to de Tulle, and forced on an encounter at once.  As it is, I trust that Anne and I, between us, may persuade him to take no step in the matter.  It is the honour of my family, not of his, that has been attacked.  Had he been betrothed to my daughter, he would have been in a position to take up her quarrel.  As it is, he has no status, except distant relationship.

“And now, Monsieur Kennedy, I have the king’s order to take you to the palace.  He asked me several questions about you this morning.  I said that I had not yet seen you, but that you were riding over here today, and he said: 

“’Bring him to me when he comes, Baron.  I should like to see this young fire eater, who thrust himself so boldly into a matter in which he had no concern, solely because he heard a woman’s voice calling for help.’”

“I am sorry to hear it,” Desmond said, bluntly.  “From what you say I imagine that, in spite of what he has done, the king is far from gratified at the failure of his favourite’s plan.  However, I cannot disobey his commands in the matter.”

Chapter 5:  A New Friend.

The baron sent a servant to request his daughter to come down.

“I am going now, with Monsieur Kennedy, to the palace, Anne,” he said, as she entered.  “I do not suppose that we shall be absent very long.  I have been talking matters over with him, and I think that he agrees with my view of them.”

“But I have hardly spoken to him, yet, father!”

“You will have an opportunity of doing so, when we return.  Monsieur Kennedy will, of course, dine with us.  After the service that he has rendered to us, we have a right to consider him as belonging to us.”

“Had I had an idea of this,” Desmond said, as they walked up the hill towards the palace gate, “I should have put on my full uniform.  This undress is scarcely the attire in which one would appear before the King of France, who is, as I have heard, most particular in matters of etiquette.”