"Yes, Sir Kenneth," the Queen said, "I do." She seemed to be ignoring
Lady Barbara. Perhaps, Malone thought, she was still angry over the
nap affair. "It's not that," the Queen said.
"Not what?" Boyd said, thoroughly confused.
"Not the naps," the Queen said.
"What naps?" Boyd said. Malone said: "I was thinking--"
"Good," Boyd said. "Keep it up. I'm driving. Everything's going to
hell around me, but I'm driving."
A red light appeared ahead. Boyd jammed on the brakes with somewhat
more than the necessary force, and Malone was thrown forward with a
grunt. Behind him there were two ladylike squeals.
Malone struggled upright. "Barbara?" he called. "Are you all right--"
Then he remembered the Queen.
"It's all right," Her Majesty said. "I can understand your concern for
Lady Barbara." She smiled at Malone as he turned.
Malone gaped at her. Of course she knew what he thought about Barbara;
she'd been reading his mind. And, apparently, she was on his side.
That was good, even though it made him slightly nervous to think
about.
"Now," the Queen said suddenly, "what about tonight?"
"Tonight?"
"Yes, of course," the Queen said. She smiled, and put up a hand to pat
at her white hair under the Elizabethan skullcap. "I think I should
like to go to the Palace," she said. "After all, isn't that where a
Queen should be?"