nce, if I had ever
shown the slightest inclination to treat them as 'pals.'"

"You can look higher than bounders like them. And I must say I feel a
bit hurt, that you haven't taken more notice of all I've been doing to
please you. I mean, learning to ride as I've done, and leading an active
life, and all that."

"I really thought your Royal Highness was doing it for your own
pleasure. But of course I've noticed the change, and if I've had any
share in bringing it about, I'm very glad."

"And is that all I'm to get by it? I want a lot more than that. I want
_you_!"

"Don't be absurd, Prince Clarence," said Daphne. "You know very well you
would never be allowed to marry _me_, even if _I_----"

"Oh, of course, I know that. But--but, you see, I--er--well, I wasn't
thinking of _marriage_ exactly."

"Then," said Daphne, with ominous quietness, "would your Royal Highness
be good enough to explain what you _were_ thinking of exactly?"

"Well," he said, "_my_ idea was something more in the nature of a--what
do you call it?--a morganatic alliance. Of course even that would have
to be kept dark because of the Mater, but----"

Daphne rose. "Prince Clarence," she said, "is it because I have been
your sister's Governess that you think you have the right to insult me
like this?"

"It isn't an insult," he protested; "you don't understand. I assure you
it's quite the usual thing in cases like ours. You'd be none the less
thought of--rather the other way about. So why take this narrow-minded,
prudish view of it? I didn't expect it--from _you_, you know!"

"Probably," said Daphne, "you don't expect to get your ears boxed--but
you will, if you dare to say any more."

"Oh, do you think you'd better?" he asked. "I mean--smacking a Crown
Prince's head--well, it's a jolly serious offence, you know--what?"

"I suppose," she said scornfully, "you think I should deserve to be
_executed_ for it."

"It would make a good 'par' in the papers," he replied, "if we had any
papers here. Something of this sort: 'The execution of Lady Daphne took
place yesterday in the Market Square. There was no hitch, everything,
including Lady Daphne's head, going off with the greatest _eclat_. The
Crown Prince was expected to be present, but was unavoidably detained
out hunting.'... Ah, you're laughing! You're not so very angry with me
after all!"

"I was," said Daphne; "but, after all, you don't know any better, and it
really isn't worth while. Still