Gertrude shrank from his somewhat familiar scrutiny of her face, and she answered him coldly—
"Oh no, thanks. I am never nervous, and my mother is not either. Are you, mother?" she asked, leaning back, and addressing her directly.
"Not when the Princess is driving," said Mrs. Carston, graciously, smiling at the Prince.
"I was just telling Miss Carston there was no need to be when my wife is driving. I acknowledge it doesn't look the safest form of amusement. Mimi, you'll have a wheel off presently."
"Then we'll go like a fox terrier when it wants to show off," remarked Mimi. "It would look rather nice, I think."
"I saw you two nights ago at the Cercle," continued the Prince to Gertrude. "I wanted my wife to introduce me, but she didn't know you, she said. I suppose you haven't been here very long."
"No; only a week," she said, again feeling a little uneasy.
"Then, of course, we may hope that you will still remain here a considerable time."
"I shall be here about a fortnight or three weeks more."
"Ah! you stop here about as long as we shall," he said; "personally, I would stop longer, but we have to go back to Vienna for a time, and we go to England in November."