you'll have the house full of visitors, too, no doubt. But you can
give me a little time."

"I am sure mamma would not--"

"She never did approve, if that's what you were about to say. What
is she afraid of? Does she imagine that I want to marry you? Good
heavens!" So devout was his implied denial of such a project that
she felt herself grow hot. "Doesn't she think the prince has you
safely won? You are old enough to take care of yourself, I'm sure."

"She knows that I love Prince Ugo, and that he is the only man I
shall ever love. Her disapproval would arise from the needless
exposure to comment. You remember what the London paper said about
us." If she thought that he was chilled by her bold opening
assertion she was to find herself mistaken. He smiled complacently.

"I thought it was very nice of them. I am preserving the clipping,"
he said, airily. "We can talk over this little difficulty with
public opinion when we've had more time to think about it. You see,
I've been here but ten hours, and I may be willing to leave
tomorrow, that is, after I've seen more of the town. I may not like
the king, and I'm quite sure the palace doesn't suit me. I'll come
around to-morrow and we'll drive through one of these famous parks--"

"Oh, no, Phil! Really, you don't know how it embarrasses me--"

"I'll go away to-night, if you say you don't want to see me at all,
Dorothy," he said, seriously, rising and standing before her.