"Yolanda"--I began, but corrected myself--"Your Highness needs no councillor. I, for one, deem your plan most wise, and I see in it the salvation of Burgundy."
The other councillors agreed with me most heartily.
"I have still another plan which I hope may frighten King Louis into accepting our terms. During the conference which I hope to hold with His Majesty, I shall receive a message from my mother's brother, King Edward of England. The missive, of course, will be directed to my father, since the English king cannot yet know of the duke's death. The messenger will be an English herald, and will demand immediate audience, and--and--however, I'll keep the remainder of that plan to myself."
A broad smile appeared on the faces of all present. Hugonet gazed at the princess and laughed outright.
"Why did not your father take you into his council?" he asked.
"I should have been no help to him," she responded. "A woman's wits, dear Hugonet, must be driven by a great motive."
"But you would have had the motive," answered Hugonet.
"There is but one motive for a woman, my lord," she answered.
Hugonet unceremoniously whistled his astonishment, and Yolanda blushed as she said:--
"You shall soon know."