a headache."

"Ah, dear Lady Muscombe, I can sympathise with you--but I have to put up
with _my_ headaches. I want you to come and shake hands with my
husband--His Majesty, you know."

"Charmed," said the Duchess. "Is that His Majesty with the--er--auburn
whiskers and moustache? I thought it must be.... How d'you do, sir?"

"Thank you, your Grace, I'm very tolerably well," said King Sidney, who
was not entirely at his ease in welcoming such distinguished
guests--especially as he was far from clear as to how and why they came
to be there. "Glad you found time to--er--look us up. Hardly had time to
settle down here ourselves yet--so you must take us as you find us."

"I never expected to find you all so magnificent, I can assure you,"
replied the Duchess.

"Oh, well," he said, "my wife likes living in style. And of course when
you are Royalties, so to speak, you've got to do the thing well."

"That is my eldest daughter, Edna, Duchess, the Princess Royal ... yes,
over there, with the eye-glasses. Edna, my love, come and tell her Grace
how delighted you are to see her, and Lady Muscombe too."

"How do you do, my dear? You're looking well," said the complaisant old
lady, preparing to embrace her hostess's daughter.... "Oh, if you prefer
me to kiss your hand, ma'am----"

"You shouldn't be so formal, Edna!" said her mother. "Not with such an
old friend as the Duchess. This, Duchess, is my son, the Crown Prince
Clarence, and here is my youngest daughter, Princess Ruby."

"I must tell you about Edna, my dear Duchess," said Queen Selina,
drawing her apart after these presentations had been effected. "She has
only just become engaged--to a neighbour of ours, young Count von
Rubenfresser. From a merely worldly point of view she might have done
much better. In fact, Prince Mirliflor of Clairdelune came here to
propose to her, but she rejected him. Wouldn't hear of anyone but the
Count! So as His Majesty and I do not approve of forcing our children's
hearts, we have let her have her own way."

"It seems quite a romance," observed the Duchess.

"Quite. And of course the Count comes of a very old family. I forget
what the original title was, but they've had Castle Drachenstolz for
centuries. _Such_ a picturesque old place! And--actually,
Duchess!--Count Ruprecht has a pet dragon there--it's the only one left
in Maerchenland now, and as it's rather a curiosity in its way, and
quite inoffensive, we see no objection to his ke