As he drew near to Audrey—
“I’ve got it,” he cried. “You’re ‘the maiden all forlorn, That drove the car with a crumpled horn.’ ”
Audrey laughed delightedly.
“You’re determined to work me in,” she said. “But I’m afraid I’m too modern.”
“Whatever,” said Christopher John, “makes you think that? Why, you were before the hills.”
“I feel an onlooker. I’ve strayed into a fascinating world, to which I don’t belong. I’m—I’m a visitor to the kingdom, and you’re going to show me round.”
“In forty-eight hours,” said John, “you’ll be the Queen. You mark my words. If you stay two days at Sundial, at the end of that time you’ll be ‘Miss Audrey’ to every soul in the place. They’re like the frogs in the fable; they want a sovereign—an idol. . . . Well, you’ve been sent.”
Audrey slid down from the stile and into the lane.
“Any way, you’re a wonderful courtier,” she said, smiling. “And now let’s come down to earth and find the car. You’ll love Aunt Lettice.”
“ ‘Lettice,’ ” said Christopher thoughtfully. “It’s a sweet, pretty name. But I like ‘Audrey’ best.”