ndescend so far! Not
that _I_ have any desire to see her again. On the contrary!"

The doors of the Vestibule were thrown open here and one of the ushers
announced: "Her Majesty the Queen and His Royal Highness Prince
Mirliflor."

"Coming here to triumph over us!" was Mrs. Stimpson's comment as she
rose.

"We came to wish you a pleasant journey to Gablehurst," explained
Daphne, as she entered, followed by Mirliflor. "I hope you won't have to
wait for the car _much_ longer, but I've told the attendants in the
Hall to let you know the minute it is here."

She was looking radiantly lovely and girlish--and queenly as well, in
spite of the fact that she was still uncrowned. But if she had had the
right to wear her crown, she was incapable of doing so just then.

Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson made a curtsey that might have been lower if she
had had any practice--but all the curtseying previously had been done to
herself. "We thank your Majesty," she said. "I too hope there will be no
more of this delay. I am getting worn out with all this waiting. Oh,
while I think of it," she went on (the desire to be offensive overcoming
any fear of the consequences), "of course we are not in a position _now_
to give really _valuable_ wedding presents--and I'm afraid mine must be
a _very_ humble offering, particularly as it needs repairing. However,
such as it is, perhaps your Majesty will honour me by accepting it with
our congratulations and _very_ best wishes?" And she offered the jewel
which she had formerly acquired from Daphne. Daphne's eyebrows
contracted for an instant, but the next moment she laughed.

"I really couldn't, Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson!" she said. "You see, you
have already given it to Clarence, and I mustn't deprive him of it."

"Won't you accept it from _me_, then?" he said awkwardly. "I--I shan't
have any use for it now."

She shook her head. "You will please me so much better by keeping it,"
she said gently--"in memory of Maerchenland."

It was true that it had once belonged to her father--the father she had
never known--but then it had also belonged to Mrs. Wibberley-Stimpson,
and Daphne was conscious now of an invincible unwillingness to accept
any gift from that lady.

"I--I'd do anything to please you," said Clarence, taking the pendant
from his mother and slipping it into the pocket of his dinner-jacket.

Ruby, in the white silk frock she had last worn at "Inglegarth," was
clinging to Daphne. "I don't want