The Princess appeared for luncheon and declared herself to be in a remarkably
"My dear Cecil," she said, helping herself to an ortolan in aspic, "I like your
climate and I like your chef. I had my window open for at least ten minutes, and
the sea air has given me quite an appetite. I have serious thoughts of embracing
the simple life."
"You could scarcely," Cecil de la Borne answered, "come to a better place for
your first essay. I will guarantee that life is sufficiently simple here for any one. I
have no neighbours, no society to offer you, no distractions of any sort. Still, I
warned you before you came."
"Don't be absurd," the Princess declared. "You have the sea almost at your front
door, and I adore the sea. If you have a nice large boat I should like to go for a
Cecil looked at her with upraised eyebrows.
"If you are serious," he said, "no doubt we can find the boat."
"I am absolutely serious," the Princess declared. "I feel that this is exactly what
my system required. I should like to sit in a comfortable cushioned seat and sail
somewhere. If possible, I should like you men to catch things from the side of the
"You will get sunburnt," Lord Ronald remarked drily; "perhaps even freckled."
"Adorable!" the Princess declared. "A touch of sunburn would be quite becoming.
It is such an excellent foundation to build a complexion upon. Jeanne is quite
enchanted with the place. She's had adventures already, and been rescued from
