Lady Hester laughed. "The French are past masters at the art of flattery disguised as something else—and vice versa, too! But I hope you weren't taken in by his piteous account of all the poor creatures who'll be languishing at death's door on account of his leaving them? The truth is that all his patients enjoy the best of health, but he is going to miss the lovely ladies Water Lily, Tulip and Morning Star—not to mention your beautiful self, my dear—"
She paused and, dropping her light, bantering tone, continued seriously: "The truth is, also, that I must go." She lowered her voice a little. "Has Meryon told you that I saw Latour-Maubourg?"
"He was just saying so—"
"When my arrival interrupted him. Our encounter was agreeable, but unproductive. The ambassador made it quite clear that there is no possibility of my being able to visit France. Indeed, I knew it already, long before, only it amused me to put the fear of God into that poor man—" She broke off and glanced around, frowning to see a pair of kavas[6] hovering so close that they were practically hanging on her words. She took Marianne's arm. "Surely there is somewhere else where we can talk? I want a private word in your ear."
"Would you like to come back to the Morousi Palace? The princess is at her house at Arnavut Koy, so we can be quite comfortable."
"I'm never comfortable in Greek houses. There are always people listening at every keyhole."
"Then I can think of only one other place. Come with me."
"Where?"
"Here," Marianne said, leading the way to the Sea Witch. "No one will disturb us on board." And after all, she told herself privately, what could be more natural than for her to go aboard her own ship?
Her pleasure in the use of that pronoun was immense. Yet in coming down to the quayside that morning, she had not meant to go aboard. It had seemed to her that Jason's ship should remain inviolate until her master's return, waiting, as it were, to be brought to life again by the ring of his boots on her decks. But now she told herself that this was foolish and that the Sea Witch, built with Selton money and purchased anew by Nakshidil, was as much hers as Jason's. And suddenly she wanted very much to stand once more on the deck where, for good or ill, so much had happened to her.
Leaving Dr. Meryon to stroll gloomily up and down the quayside, the two ladies crossed the gangway and, with a wave of the hand to Jolival, who was chatting with Achmet on the poop, they made their way to Marianne's old cabin, now tastefully restored."
"There," Marianne said with a little sigh, making her friend sit beside her on the bunk. "We couldn't have a better place. No one will overhear us here. You may say what you like."
Lady Hester, however, seemed in no hurry to speak. She was looking about her, frankly curious.
"Does this ship belong to you?" she asked at last. "I saw that she was flying your family's crest. I was not aware that you were shipowners—"
Marianne laughed. "My family is somewhat limited, my dear Hester, and no one goes in for shipping—least of all myself. No, the Sea Witch belongs to a friend of mine, a very dear friend. The ship was captured by the Turks and Her Highness, the Valideh Sultan, who is, as you know, a distant cousin of mine, purchased her and made me a present of her. The flag is a pretty gesture but I can't really think of her as mine—only as in my care for a while."
"Who is her master?"
"Do not ask me that," Marianne said quickly. "I cannot tell you." Then, to soften the abruptness of her words, she smiled and added: "Call it a kind of superstition. I'd rather not mention his name until he comes—"
"And when will that be?"
"I don't know. Tomorrow, perhaps, or not for another six months. He has been very ill and is recovering slowly, a long way from here. But that's enough of that. Tell me about yourself."
But once again it seemed that Hester Stanhope had lost interest in the important communication which had demanded such secrecy to impart. Ever since first setting her high-arched, aristocratic foot on board the Sea Witch, her gray eyes had brightened and her nostrils flared "like a hound on the scent," Marianne thought, watching her. So that it came as no great surprise when Lady Hester took a deep breath and, regarding her companion with a mock severity, said: "Do you mean to say that this ship, which ought to be riding the high seas, is going to stay cooped up in harbor, empty and unused, with her sails stowed, until the problematical arrival of a captain who might be anywhere?"
"Yes, that is precisely what I mean."
"Then let me tell you it's absurd. And dangerous. You'd do much better to engage a trustworthy captain on the spot, let him get together the best crew you can find and then give orders to set sail."
"Set sail? But I don't want to. And wherever to?"
"Egypt. With me. I have to go as soon as possible and I need a ship. In the absence of anything better, I was resigning myself to a wretched polacca, but this brig is a godsend!"
Marianne frowned. She had always known of the English passion for the sea but this time she thought that her friend was going too far.
"I'm sorry, Hester. I don't like to disappoint you, but it's out of the question. Quite apart from my condition, which makes it most inadvisable for me to put to sea, the ship does not really belong to me, as I have said, and she does not sail without her master."
She had spoken almost curtly, expecting argument, but nothing of the kind was forthcoming. Hester's voice held no trace of annoyance as she answered smoothly: "I said that I must leave, my dear—but you, too, would be well advised to quit Constantinople—or else run the risk of serious trouble."
Marianne blinked and stared at her friend as if she had taken leave of her senses. Yet there was no indication of insanity on that arrogant, handsome face, only determination and a slight anxiety.
"What did you say?" Marianne demanded, "I should do well to leave? And why, may I ask?"
"I'll tell you. Charles has told you, I suppose, about my interview with your ambassador?"
"Yes, but I can't see—"
"You will." Passing swiftly over the details of a meeting which, as it had ended in failure, no longer held any interest for her, Hester went on to describe the sequel to her romantic excursion to the remote yali. On the following day she had received a summons to present herself at the British embassy. Mr. Canning wished to see her.
Somewhat disconcerted by this sudden desire for her company, she had gone at once and Canning had not been slow in coming to the point.
"Lady Hester," he had demanded, almost before she was well into the room, "where were you yesterday?"
But Hester Stanhope was not a woman to allow herself to be browbeaten without hitting back and for sheer rudeness her reply was equal to the question.
"Why? Have your spies not told you?"
After this beginning, the interview had soon developed into a battle royal. The ambassador informed his intractable countrywoman that he was tired of her continued intimacy with members of the French ambassador's suite, that he considered the previous day's clandestine meeting as the last straw and that she might thank her position as Pitt's niece that she was not called upon to endure the consequences of her irresponsible behavior—as she surely would be if she did not break off her outrageous friendship with "one of Bonaparte's mistresses, and a notorious spy in the bargain."
"So I told young Mr. Canning that I was quite old enough to choose my own friends and requested him to mind his own business. He did not like that at all, you may be sure, and still less when I reminded him that you were a kinswoman of the sultana's and deserved to be spoken of with more respect. I thought he would have had a fit! 'Lady Hester,' he said to me, 'either you give me your word to break with these people, and with that woman in particular, altogether, or I will have you expelled from this city and put aboard the first boat for England. As to that pinchbeck princess of yours'—I'm sorry, my dear, but those were his words—'I'll soon persuade the sultan to send her back where she came from and then, once her ship has left the Bosporus, we shall be able to get our hands on her and see to it that she causes no more trouble.' "