"Yes, your Highness." If he had looked at her instead of his horse's
ears, and smiled, all would have been well.
She instantly regretted the question. "I am sorry that I have become an
ogress."
"To me your highness is the most perfect of women. I am guilty of
lese-majesty."
"I shall not lock you up," she said, and added under her breath, "as my
good father would like to! Besides," she continued aloud, "I rather like
to set the court by the ears. Whoever heard of a serene highness doing
the things I do? I suppose it is because I have known years of freedom,
freedom of action, of thought, of speech. These habits can not change at
once. In fact, I do not believe they ever will. But the duke, my father,
is good; he understands and trusts me. Ah, but I shall lead some king a
merry life!" with a wicked gleam in her eyes.
"Frederick of Jugendheit?"
"Is it true that you have not heard yet? I have declined the honor."
"Your highness?"
"My serene highness," with a smile. "This, of course, is as yet a state
secret; and my reason for telling you is not a princess', but a woman's.
Solve it if you can."
Carmichael fumbled the reins blindly. "They say that he is a handsome
young man."
"What has that to do with it? The interest he takes in his kingdom is
positively negative.
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