A female attendant appeared as if by magic.
“Oh, is that you, Lady Gordon?” said the king.
“Yes, sire.”
“Well, there is a young lady here, I believe; she has not long arrived.”
“She has that honour, sire.”
“I hope that she has been treated as belies her rank and honour.”
“Her rank and—and——Did you say virtue?”
The king bit his lips to keep himself from laughing outright.
And then, with feigned anger, he said,
“Lady Gordon, do you think it impossible for a virtuous girl to find her way to this house? Do you dare to assert that because a young lady is brought here in rather a mysterious manner, she is henceforth to have a slur cast upon her name? I am really ashamed of you, Lady Gordon.”