ll be a little kinder to
you, if you like, but I warn you that I shall only be a disappointment.
Boys of your age always expect so much, and I have so little to give."

"Why do you say that?" he asked.

She shrugged her shoulders.

"Because it is the truth," she answered. "You must not expect anything
more from me than the husk of things. Believe me, I am not a poseuse. I
really mean it."

"You may change your mind," he said.

"I may," she answered. "I have no convictions, and my enemies would
add, no principles. If any one could make me feel the things which I
have forgotten how to feel, I myself am perfectly willing! But don't
hope too much from that. And do, there's a dear boy, go and stop my
maid. I can see her on her way down the drive there. She has some
telegrams I gave her, and I want to send another."

Cecil hurried out, and the Princess, moving to the window, beckoned to
Forrest, who was lounging in a wicker chair with a cigarette in his
mouth.

"Nigel," she said, "how much longer?"

Forrest looked despondently at his cigarette.

"I cannot tell," he answered. "Perhaps one day, perhaps a week,
perhaps--"

"No!" the Princess interrupted, "I do not wish to hear that
eventuality."

"You know that the Duke is still about?" Forrest said gloomily. "I saw
him this morning. There has been a fellow, too--a detective, of
course--enquiring about the car and who was able to drive it."

"But that," the Princess interrupted, "is all in our favour. You were
seen to bring it back up the drive about ten o'clock in the morning."

Forrest nodded.

"Don't let's talk about it," he said. "Where is Jeanne? Do you know?"

The Princess pointed toward the lawn to where Cecil and Jeanne were
just starting a game of croquet. Forrest watched them for a few minutes
meditatively.

"Ena," he said, dropping his voice a little, "what are you going to do
with that child? I have never quite understood your plans. You promised
to talk to me about it while we were down here."

"I know," the Princess answered, "only this other affair has driven
everything out of our minds. What I should like to do," she continued,
"is to marry her before she comes of age, if I can find any one willing
to pay the price."

"The price?" he repeated doubtfully.

The Princess nodded.

"Supposing," she continued, "that her fortune amounted to nearly four
hundred thousand pounds, I think that twenty-five thousand pounds would
be a very moderate