he is. Mums doesn't like it, of course, but she's
had to give in, and they'll be married in a year. Isn't it awful?
There's only _one_ advantage about it that _I_ can see--Tuetzi will be
one of the family now.... Oh, and you needn't go on sewing any more.
Mummy said after lunch that she'd forgotten to tell you she won't want
the skirt altered after all, and that you might come down again as usual
now."

So Daphne made her re-appearance that evening, and was welcomed by the
Court with as much effusion as if they had not seen her for weeks. The
Count was there, his towering form more splendidly apparelled, as became
his new _role_ of an accepted suitor, and she soon learnt that she was
by no means alone in loathing the thought of the engagement. Princess
Edna was in such high good humour that she not only deigned to single
out Daphne by her notice, but actually offered to present her to her
_fiance_--an honour from which Daphne had the courage to beg that she
might be excused.

"I see how it is, Miss Heritage," said Edna, with a frown, "You can't
understand my rejecting a Prince and preferring some one of so far
inferior a rank. I really should not have thought you would be quite so
snobbish as that!"

"It isn't that, Princess Edna," said Daphne desperately. "It's
because--I'm sure--I can't explain why, but I am sure he's bad--_really_
bad!"

"If you mean by that--that he is not a pattern of virtue like Prince
Mirliflor," said Edna, "he is none the worse for it, in _my_ eyes!"

"I meant more--much more than that. But I ought not to have said
anything."

"Oh, pray go on. In fact, I _insist_ on it."

"Well, then, Princess Edna," said Daphne undauntedly, "not only I, but
almost everybody at Court, think that a marriage with Count von
Rubenfresser would be a horrible mistake."

"So _you_ have joined the league against him, have you, Miss Heritage?"
said Edna. "But, of course, you would condemn anyone who failed to
conform to your prim, governessy little notions of right and wrong. I
might have known as much! I am only sorry I should have gone out of my
way to offer you a privilege you are so incapable of appreciating. You
may now retire."

Daphne retreated accordingly. She knew very well that she would have
been wiser in her own interests to hold her tongue, and she had
certainly done no good by speaking. But for no earthly inducement would
she have allowed herself to be presented to that detestable Count. She
ha