“We pulled the motorboats to another dock,” he explained. “Here’s where we leave Prince Charming! Come on!” Ned urged. “A ferryboat touches Star Island every two hours. His highness can get home on that.”
Nancy felt that they should not desert the young man, but was overruled. Keeping out of sight, the young people slipped down to the dock and boarded the two boats. The roar of the motors brought Michael sprinting madly along the beach.
“Hey, wait for me!” he shouted.
“Can’t hear you,” Bob called through cupped hands. “Louder!”
Michael shouted again and again. Finally, as the boats sped away, he slumped down on the beach.
“It was a mean trick-” Nancy began, but Ned interrupted her.
“He deserved it. Don’t waste any of your sympathy on him. Save it for Mrs. Alexandra.”
When the young people reached River Heights, they all went to a movie.
The next morning Nancy dropped in to see Mr. Faber about her father’s birthday gift. The antique dealer said, “I think I have found just the right gentleman’s box for Mr. Drew.”
He showed her a handsome brown leather chest trimmed with silver.
“It’s beautiful!” she said and lifted the lid. “And in wonderful condition,” she added, gazing at the velvet-lined trays for jewelry.
“I hope your father likes it,” he said anxiously. “Madame Alexandra asked me to make a special effort to please him.”
“How nice of her!” Nancy exclaimed. “Have you seen her recently?”
“No, but Michael was here early this morning.”
“Michael?”
“Yes, he brought me a ring to sell for Madame Alexandra.” Mr. Faber’s face became troubled. “I gave her the best price I could, but it worries me that she must sell her treasures.”
“Maybe Prince Michael is an expensive grandson to have,” Nancy remarked.
“Ah, yes!” Mr. Faber said with concern. “It is a pity Madame can deny him nothing.”
When Nancy reached home, Mrs. Gruen gave her an urgent message from Anna.
“She called twice,” the housekeeper said. “Mrs. Alexandra is very troubled. Anna wants you to come at once.”
“Of course I’ll go,” Nancy agreed. “I wonder if Michael had anything to do with her condition.”
A few minutes later she arrived at the Downey Street home and asked Anna if he had been the cause of Mrs. Alexandra’s agitation.
“I don’t see how Michael can be responsible,” the maid replied. “He has been away most of the morning.”
“He was at Mr. Faber’s,” Nancy said. “I thought maybe his selling the ring for Mrs. Alexandra might have upset her.”
“Michael sold a ring for Madame Marie?” Anna’s eyes opened wide at this bit of news.
“Didn’t you know about it?” Nancy asked.
“I certainly did not!” Anna returned with displeasure. “If I had known-But now it is too late. Madame Marie has spent money most lavishly the past couple of days.”
“Is Michael here now?” Nancy asked.
“He came in about ten minutes ago,” the woman replied. “He tied up that dog of his, and went off somewhere. He was in a dreadful mood.”
“Did he tell you what had disturbed him?”
“Only that some acquaintances of his had left him stranded on an island yesterday,” Anna continued. “A fisherman took him off in a small boat. He had to row part of the way to shore, and blistered his hands.
“I am glad it happened,” Anna declared, her black eyes flashing. “Michael will require many lessons to make a gentleman of him.”
“May I see Mrs. Alexandra now?” Nancy asked.
As the two started upstairs, the dog began to bark. The disturbance was so loud that Nancy and Anna hastened to a window to see what was wrong. To their dismay, the huge animal had broken the rope and was attacking the mailman.
“Oh! Oh!” moaned Anna, covering her eyes.
Nancy ran out the front door, determined to help the man. Her eye fell on the garden hose ready for use on the lawn. Unable to reach the faucet to turn on the water, she seized the hose and tried to lash at the dog.
“Run!” she shouted.
The mailman scrambled into the vestibule, his uniform ripped from the knees down.
Nancy whirled and faced the animal defiantly. With a snarl he made a leap for her face.
CHAPTER XII
NANCY might have been bitten by the vicious dog if the letter carrier had not acted quickly. As she dodged the animal, the man leaped from the vestibule, seized the hose from her hand and beat off the dog.
Nancy ran toward the cellar door and yanked it open. When the animal followed her, she got behind the door. As he shot down the cellar stairs Nancy slammed the door shut. He was trapped!
In the meantime, the letter carrier examined his torn trouser legs. “Are you the owner?” he asked Nancy.
“He belongs to Mrs. Alexandra’s grandson.”
“The dog must be turned over to the authorities.”
“I agree with you,” Nancy said. “If he’s allowed to stay here, someone may be bitten. I’ll call the dog warden at once.”
Anna, who had witnessed the scene from indoors, offered no objection to the decision.
“The dog has greatly upset Madame Marie. It should go,” Anna said quietly.
Nancy telephoned the city pound, and presently a man arrived to take away the dangerous animal. Rudy resisted capture, but eventually was subdued.
“It is a great relief,” Anna sighed as she prepared a tray of food for her mistress.
A bell in the kitchen jingled. Anna explained, “It is Madame Marie. Come and see her.”
Nancy followed Anna upstairs to a large room. The walls were draped with silk hangings, the floor covered with a beautiful Oriental rug. A canopy of blue velvet with gold fringe hung above a large four-poster bed that had graceful figures of swans carved on the headboard.
“This is a queen’s room indeed,” thought Nancy as she and the woman exchanged greetings.
Mrs. Alexandra, her face pale, tossed restlessly on a lace-covered pillow.
“Anna, why were you so long in coming?”
“I came as quickly as I could, Madame. There was a slight disturbance-”
“The dog?”
“Yes, but he will annoy you no more.”
“I am so glad. His constant barking makes my head ache.” She went on, “Anna, bring my clothing. I cannot remain any longer in bed.”
“But, Madame, you must rest. I will bring your luncheon tray.”
“I have no appetite.”
“I’ll sit beside you while you eat,” Nancy offered, “and you can tell me of life at court.”
She knew that the woman frequently forgot her present troubles while talking of happy past events.
“I will taste the food,” Mrs. Alexandra murmured politely.
Nancy and Anna raised the woman up in bed, bracing her with cushions. The maid then brought water in a silver basin. After washing her mistress’s hands, she dried them on a towel of fine linen. The woman’s initials and a royal crown were embroidered on it.
At first Mrs. Alexandra ate sparingly. But as Nancy encouraged her to talk about life at the palace before the start of the Revolution, she seemed to forget her unhappiness. Soon she had finished the entire meal.
“Madame Marie, would you not enjoy showing Miss Nancy a few of your things?” Anna said, delighted that her mistress’s spirits were lifting. “The orchid silk sachet bags we use to scent your clothing, for instance?”
“I should love to see them-everything!” Nancy said.
At a nod from Mrs. Alexandra, Anna brought one of the perfumed little bags and laid it in Nancy’s hand. It was decorated with a hand-embroidered monogram.
“And here is one of Madame Marie’s handkerchiefs,” Anna said. She was holding a dainty square of white batiste, embroidered in brown, with a lace border. “The skillful mendings were made by Madame herself,” the maid explained.