the king, every other man at court was her
admirer. She could have had her choice of a husband from among the
noblest and richest men of the land, but she showed no one especial
favor. If one imagined that she smiled with marked graciousness on him,
he soon learned that others were equally fortunate, and after a time
each accepted his smile from her and took it for granted that his failure
to receive greater favor was because of the king's success. All praised
her discretion, though many believed that she was concealing adroitly
what she would not have the world suspect. With all her circumspection,
it soon became the common talk at court that she was the king's new
favorite, though there was no reason given for the rumor save the belief
that the king was not to be resisted.

* * * * *

The Duchess of York and I knew the truth concerning Frances, but all
Westminster and London talked of the new star at Whitehall who was
outshining Castlemain, Nell Gwynn, Stuart, and the host of other
luminaries who had scintillated with scandal ever since the king's return
to Britain's throne.

One morning, shortly after the king's last-mentioned conversation with
Frances, she met Nell Gwynn in the palace garden, and was surprised when
Nelly addressed her as "Little Solomon."

"Where did you learn the name?" asked Frances.

"From its author, the king," answered Nell. "Come home with me and I'll
tell you all about it."

They took Nell's barge and went to Westminster water stairs, where they
walked across the park to her house in Pell Mell.

Frances cordially hated Lady Castlemain and the king's other brazen
friends, but, after having met Nelly several times, she had learned to
love the sweet, profane, ignorant girl because, despite her apparently
evil life, there was honesty, kindliness, and truth in Nelly's heart.

When the two young women were seated in Nelly's cozy parlor, she began to
open her heart to Frances.

"Yes, the king told me how he invited you to go to the garden with him
one evening, and how he dubbed you 'Little Solomon' when you refused."

"Ah, did he?" asked Frances, surprised at the king's willingness to speak
of his rebuff.

"Yes," returned Nelly, surprising Frances still further by a soberness of
manner rarely seen in the laughing girl.

After a long pause, Nelly continued: "Do you know, I hate the fat
Castlemain woman. And the bow-legged Stuart hussy! She seems to be pro