"But it was crystal-clear that the sole object of her employment was her unwitting impersonation of an absent person, even to changing her hair-style; wearing unaccustomed jewellery and expensive clothing; and to being seen late at night beneath the floodlighting outside this house. The whole thing smacked of the stage, Parker."
Prince Mirko gave a wry smile and studied the tip of his cigar.
"I can now see why Mr Pons is spoken of as England's greatest consulting detective," he observed to Sir Clifford.
Helen Helstone's eyes were wide as she turned toward Pons.
"Of course, Mr Pons. It is so simple when you put it like that. I had not thought of it."
"Exactly, Miss Helstone. And there was no reason why you should. But it is at least to the Prince's credit that while tethering you as a decoy he at least provided you with adequate bodyguards."
"It was a regrettable necessity," said Prince Mirko. "Dictated by the inexorable requirements of the State."
"And a most original method," said Pons reflectively. "They looked exactly like children. And they are potentially deadly."
He rubbed his shin with a slight grimace. Prince Mirko's smile broadened.
"They are the Zhdanov Twins, circus and music-hall performers. Boy and girl. They specialise in the personation of children and both are expert at ju-jitsu, knife and pistol. You were lucky they did not shoot you first and ask questions afterwards. We have several times used them in our secret service operations."
"But how could you know this, Pons?" I cried.
"It was a fairly rapid process to the trained mind, Parker. I soon came to the conclusion they were midgets. The harshness of voice; the fact that they stayed out so late at night, which no real children would do; their peculiar actions when the attempt was made on Miss Helstone's life." His smile widened.
"You remember they ran toward the source of danger when Miss Helstone's life was attempted. That was significant. To say nothing of the male twin's cigar-smoking in their rooms. The lady suspected that you were the parent in the case, Prince."
The bearded man bowed ironically to our client. "That was most careless and I will see that the guilty party is reprimanded."
"Your prisoners, Prince," put in Solar Pons sharply, as though the idea had only just occurred to him. "No Dresdanian summary justice on British soil."
"It shall be as you say, Mr Pons," said Prince Mirko. "In any case Dr Parker has despatched the principal viper. And with the imprisonment of the others, the threat to Dresdania's internal politics is entirely removed."
"If you would be kind enough to elucidate, Pons!" I said hotly.
"My dear fellow. Certainly. If you had taken the trouble to read the newspapers properly this morning, they would have told you most of the story about Dresdania's internal troubles. It is Princess Sonia, is it not?"
Mirko nodded gravely.
"Her Royal Highness was in England incognito, on a short holiday. She is only thirty-eight, as you know. To our alarm and astonishment she had not been here more than three days when she was laid low by a crippling stroke. That was some four months ago. When she was well enough to be moved from a small, private nursing home near Epsom, we brought her here to this mansion, which belongs to the Dresdanian Embassy. Our own personnel surrounded her and we had the world's finest medical attention and nursing staff."
Here Sir Clifford bowed gratefully in acknowledgment of his services.
Solar Pons turned his lean, alert face toward the Prince.
"And how is Her Royal Highness at this moment?"
"Much improved, I am glad to say. It was a freak condition, I understand, and rare in one so young. I am assured by Sir Clifford that she will make a complete recovery. She will be well enough to sign State documents within the next few days."
"I am still not quite sure that I follow, Pons," I said. "I see that you do not understand Balkan politics, doctor," said the Prince.
He held up his hand.
"And there is really no reason why you should. But Dresdania's internal stability is a vital element in the uneasy peace in that part of the world. Dissident elements have long been pledged to opposing the Throne and tearing it down. Vilest of them was Krenko; bombings, murder, political assassination and torture were only a few of the weapons he employed. As you know, the Princess is a widow and she has ruled as Regent, with me to guide her, on behalf of her son. He is now fourteen and of an age when he may soon be able to assume his responsibilities. Princess Sonia is anxious that he should do so, as the last decade has been a fearful strain. Indeed, it was probably this which precipitated the stroke. Her medical advisers prescribed complete rest and she came to England.
"But there was an attempted coup within a week of her arrival and unfortunately she was already ill. It was imperative for the country and for the sake of the young Crown Prince, who knows nothing of his mother's condition, that all should appear to be well."
"Hence the masquerade!" I put in.
I stared at Pons in admiration.
"And you saw all this at a glance?"
"Hardly, Parker. But it was not too difficult to arrive at the truth, once all the threads were in my hand."
Prince Mirko cast a regretful look at Miss Helstone.
"I must confess that I did not really think I would have much success with my ruse but I inserted the advertisement which Miss Helstone answered. I was in despair when I saw her at the interview but then realised what an astonishing likeness she had to the Princess."
Here he indicated a photograph in a heavy gilt frame which stood on a piano in one corner of the library.
"I determined to take a chance. It was a desperate act but the only card I had left to play. It was imperative that the Princess should be seen behaving normally. Hence the deception; the floodlighting and the nightly promenades. We had heard that Krenko and a band of desperadoes had arrived in England. He would either make an attempt on the Princess' life, in which case we would be ready and try to eliminate him; or, he would merely report back to his political masters that the Princess was well and carrying out her normal duties. Either would have suited us, because there is no fear of a coup while the Princess is alive — she is so popular among the common people. All we wanted was to stabilise things until the Princess should be well enough to sign the Instrument of Succession on behalf of her son. But Krenko evaded our vigilance and made an attempt on her life; we knew he would try again."
"For which purpose you put on a visible show of guarding the estate, while deliberately leaving the side-gate vulnerable," said my companion. "And you required an orphan in case of any tragic developments."
"Exactly, Mr Pons. We had hoped that the presence of so distinguished a heart-specialist would pass unnoticed in the district — Sir Clifford insisted on staying at the inn where he could obtain his peculiarly English comforts — but we had not reckoned on your deductive genius."
"You are too kind, Prince Mirko."
Pons consulted his watch.
"I shall need to telephone Brother Bancroft, unless we wish the military to descend upon us."
Mirko nodded thoughtfully, the smoke from his cigar going up in heavy spirals to the library ceiling.
"It would be helpful if you would ask him for a responsible officer from Scotland Yard to attend to this affair, in conjunction with your Home Office and our Foreign Office, Mr Pons."
"Superintendent Stanley Heathfield is your man, Prince," said Solar Pons, with a conspiratorial nod which took in myself and Miss Helstone. "If you will just excuse me."
He paused by the door.
"It occurs to me, Prince Mirko, that Miss Helstone has been in considerable danger while under your roof. Now that her duties are prematurely ended, do you not think that some compensation is in order?"