"I am so grateful to you," she said; "you saved me a very bad fall."
"Please don't thank me for the privilege I have had. It is for me to thank you."
Gertrude made a great effort to conquer her increasing aversion to him, which was quite inexplicable, even to herself, and smiled.
"You are very unselfish. Do you always find it a privilege to help other people?"
"Decidedly not," said he, looking straight at her.
Gertrude turned away, and he followed her to join the others, who were standing at a little distance.
"There are the boats," explained the Princess, "and as there are ten of us and three of them, we'll divide ourselves between them. We'd better take a man each to do the rowing, and if any of us like we can take an oar. I love rowing, and I know you row, Miss Carston. Your mother was telling me you were out this morning. Shall you and I go in a little boat by ourselves, and row across? Let's do that."
The Prince remonstrated.
"Mimi, you mustn't take Miss Carston off all by yourself like that. It isn't fair on the rest of us."
Mimi looked at him with malicious amusement in her eyes.