"Mrs. Spencer desires her carriage," I said.
She gave him one of her sweetest smiles.
"It's too bad, Colonel Moore, that I am always imposed upon you when
your chief sends me from his august presence;" and she held out her
hand to him.
Moore's bow over it was positively blarneying in its deference.
"It is a great pleasure, I assure you," he said.
She shook her head at him.
"Rather _double entendre_, Colonel."
"Madame knows it was not so meant," was the quick reply.
She gave him a glance of amused indifference; then arose.
"And Your Royal Highness does not wish to hear my particular errand?"
she said.
"No more than before you--entered," I replied.
"Intruded, you mean."
"Possibly, that would be more accurate," I admitted.
She gave a sarcastic laugh.
"Your royalty seems to have been fatal to your courtesy."
"At least, there is one particular instance in which it seems to have
increased my forbearance."
She gathered up her skirts, as though to go--then turned.
"And that instance is myself?" she asked.
"Your intuition is marvellous," I replied.
She sat down on the chair arm.
"But, why do you forbear, my dear?" she said. "If I am not your wife,
why don't you do something to prove it?"
"What, for example?" I inquired.
She shrugged her shoulders. "How ingenious you are, Armand! You would
even have me believe that, having decided to deny me, you did not,
also, arrange how to proceed when I appeared."
"My dear Mrs. Spencer, I said, the other night, that you were a great
actress; permit me to repeat it."
"It is very easy to act the truth, Armand," she answered.
"And your appearance in Dornlitz is, I suppose, in the interest of
truth?" I mocked.
She looked at me very steadily, a moment.
"At any rate, you must admit it was well for truth and decency that I
did appear."
"We but waste each other's time, Mrs. Spencer," I answered curtly, and
nodded to Moore.
But she gave no heed to the Aide's proffered arm. She did not even
glance at him, but leaned back on the chair, swinging her foot and
looking as insolently tantalizing as possible. It was a very pretty
pose.
"I may be very stupid, Armand," she said, "but, I cannot understand
why, if my presence in Dornlitz is so annoying to you, you prevent me
leaving it."