The Princess helped herself to a salted almond and took her first sip of
champagne. The almonds were crisp and the champagne dry. She was wearing
a new and most successful dinner-gown of black velvet, and she was quite sure
that in the subdued light no one could tell that the pearls in the collar around her
neck were imitation. Her afternoon's indisposition was quite forgotten. She
nodded at her host approvingly.
"Cecil," she said, "it is really very good of you to take in my two friends like this.
Major Forrest has just arrived from Ostend, and I was very anxious to hear about
the people I know there, and the frocks, and all the rest of it. Lord Ronald always
amuses me, too. I suppose most people would call him foolish, but to me he only
The young man who was host raised his glass and bowed towards the Princess.
"I can assure you," he said, "that it has given me a great deal of pleasure to
make the acquaintance of Major Forrest and Lord Ronald, but it has given me
more pleasure still to be able to do anything for you. You know that."
She looked at him quickly, and down at her plate. Such glances had become
almost a habit with her, but they were still effectual. Cecil de la Borne leaned
"I hear that you have been to Ostend lately, Major Forrest," he said. "I thought of
going over myself a little later in the season for a few days."
"I wouldn't if I were you," Forrest answered. "It is overrun just now with the wrong
sort of people. There is nothing to do but gamble, which doesn't interest me
particularly; or dress in a ridiculous costume and paddle about in a few feet of
water, which appeals to me even less."
