"I think that you
and I have some idea as to what it means."
"Have we?" he asked quietly.
"And somehow," she went on, dropping her voice a little, "I
believe that your knowledge goes farther than mine."
He gave no sign, made no answer. Some question from across the
table, with reference to the action of one of his country's
Ministers, was referred to him. He replied to it and drifted
quite naturally into a general conversation. Without any evident
effort, he seemed to desire to bring his tete-a-tete with
Catherine to a close. She showed no sign of disappointment;
indeed she fell into his humour and made vigorous efforts to
attack the subject of Y.M.C.A. huts with her neighbour on the
right. The rest of the meal passed in this manner, and it was not
until they met, an hour later, in the Princess' famous reception
room, that they exchanged more than a casual word. The Princess
liked to entertain her guests in a fashion of her own. The long
apartment, with its many recesses and deep windows, an apartment
which took up the whole of one side of the large house, had all
the dignity and even splendour of a drawing-room, and yet, with
its little palm court, its cosy divans, its bridge tables and
roulette board, encouraged an air of freedom which made it
eminently habitable.
"I wonder, Baron," she asked, "what time you are leaving, and
whether I could rely upon your escort to the Lawsons' dance?
Don't hesitate to say if you have an engagement, as it only means
my telephoning to some friends.
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