When the court reassembled, Georgina's counsel asked leave to place the Russian Ambassador in the box at once, as his evidence would render further testimony by Roger unnecessary.
Vorontzoff told the court through an interpreter that his second appearance there was occasioned by the fact that, as a foreigner, he had little knowledge of the workings of British justice. When he had given his evidence before he had been under the impression that although Lady Etheredge denied throwing the scent-bottle, if it was proved that she had, she would still be able to enter a plea of having done so in self-defence, and so secure her acquittal.
He went on smoothly to the effect that he had since been too occupied with his own affairs to follow the case, and it was only that morning, when Lord Edward Fitz-Deverel had come to him at Richmond, that he had realised that Lady Etheredge was in serious danger of being condemned to death for her act. This had caused him to take an entirely new view of his own responsibility in the matter.
He then confessed that previously he had omitted a part of the evidence he could have given, from a natural reluctance to disclose the fact that he had been spying on Lady Etheredge on the morning of her husband's death. Intrigued to learn the result of his own letter to Sir Humphrey he had risen early. He had heard the Baronet arrive and followed him to Lady Etheredge's room. The door having been left ajar he had peeped through the crack and actually witnessed the altercation. Sir Humphrey had raised his whip to strike his wife and, as he struck, she had thrown the scent-bottle at him. She had fainted as a result of the blow, but, although the bottle had caught him on the head, it had not even knocked him down. He had appeared a little stunned for a moment, then walked over to her washstand and bathed the cut on his temple. Therefore he obviously could not have died from the crack on the head, but must have been seized by an apoplexy a few moments later. Not wishing to be seen, Vorontzoff had then stolen away. He concluded his evidence by saying that had Lady Etheredge seen what he had, she would no doubt have told the truth about throwing the bottle, but her swoon had prevented her from knowing the comparatively harmless effect it had had, and finding her husband in a fit on the floor when she came to, she had obviously thought that to have been the result of her own act.
Roger sighed with relief. The Russian had told the story, almost word for word as he had briefed Droopy to give it to him.
The judge then instructed the jury that they should return a verdict of "Not Guilty."
A quarter of an hour later Georgina, Roger, Droopy Ned and Colonel Thursby were in the latter's coach heading westward. Georgina was holding Roger's hand and she squeezed it tenderly as she said:
"My dear, my sweet, my perfect knight. I can scarce yet believe it true. But tell us, I beg, how you worked this wondrous miracle?"
He laughed. "Did you not see Droopy hand Vorontzoff a piece of yellowed parchment as they left the court? Twas the Russian's fee for bearing false witness."
"I saw him do so," said the Colonel. "What was it, Roger?"
" 'Twas a letter that I stole whilst in Russia, Sir; the only evidence in the world that the Czarina Catherine murdered her husband. The Prime Minister said that it was useless to him as it could never be published, so last night I got it back from him to use as a bargaining-counter with Vorontzoff. Thank God he considered it his duty to buy it; for I was damnably afraid that he would be of the same mind as Mr. Pitt. And, had he been so, Georgina and I would have danced our last dance together on empty air."
"May it please God to spare you both for many years of joyous dancing yet, said the Colonel, with tears in his eyes.
"Or years of married bliss, for that matter," added Droopy Ned.
"Natalia!" exclaimed Roger, recalling for the first time in many hours that he had a wife.
Droopy shook his head. "Vorontzoff asked me to break it to you. As a result of her fall your wife died of an internal haemorrhage in the early hours of the morning. He said, too, that since she lived as a Russian, and died as a Russian, he hoped you would agree to his sending her body back to Russia for burial."
"So you were married, Roger," Georgina whispered. "That was the wedding-ring that I saw in the glass. Then the whole of my prophecy came true."
"But he is married no longer," persisted Droopy mischievously.
Roger and Georgina looked at one another; then they both smiled and slowly shook their heads.
"Nay," she said with a little sob, and she squeezed Roger's hand until it hurt. "We'll not risk marriage; but in this life, and in all our lives to come, we will remain for ever friends."
THE END