when the princess asked me to
bring Brandon to her that she might have a little sport at his
expense, she looked for a laugh, but found a sigh.

_CHAPTER V_

_An Honor and an Enemy_

A day or two after this, Brandon was commanded to an audience, and
presented to the king and queen. He was now eligible to all palace
entertainments, and would probably have many invitations, being a
favorite with both their majesties. As to his standing with Mary, who
was really the most important figure, socially, about the court, I
could not exactly say. She was such a mixture of contradictory
impulses and rapid transitions, and was so full of whims and caprice,
the inevitable outgrowth of her blood, her rank and the adulation amid
which she had always lived, that I could not predict for a day ahead
her attitude toward any one. She had never shown so great favor to any
man as to Brandon, but just how much of her condescension was a mere
whim, growing out of the impulse of the moment, and subject to
reaction, I could not tell. I believed, however, that Brandon stood
upon a firmer foundation with this changing, shifting, quicksand of a
girl than with either of their majesties.

In fact, I thought he rested upon her heart itself. But to guess
correctly what a girl of that sort will do, or think, or feel would
require inspiration.

Of course most of the entertainments given by the king and queen
included as guests nearly all the court, but Mary often had little
fetes and dancing parties which were smaller, more select and
informal. These parties were really with the consent and encouragement
of the king, to avoid the responsibility of not inviting everybody.
The larger affairs were very dull and smaller ones might give offense
to those who were left out. The latter, therefore, were turned over to
Mary, who cared very little who was offended or who was not, and
invitations to them were highly valued.

One afternoon, a day or two after Brandon's presentation, a message
arrived from Mary, notifying me that she would have a little fete that
evening in one of the smaller halls and directing me to be there as
Master of the Dance. Accompanying the message was a note from no less
a person than the princess herself, inviting Brandon.

This was an honor indeed--an autograph invitation from the hand of
Mary! But the masterful rascal did not seem to consider it anything
unusual, and when I handed him the note upon his return from the h