They had paused to help themselves to cigarettes, which were displayed with a cabinet of cigars on a round table in the hall. Dominey waited for a moment before he answered.
“Has the Princess confided to you that that is her wish?” he asked.
“Something of the sort,” Seaman acknowledged. “She wishes the suggestion, however, to come from you.”
“And your advice?”
Seaman blew out a little cloud of cigar smoke.
“My friend,” he confessed, “I am a little afraid of the Princess. I ask you no questions as to your own feelings with regard to her. I take it for granted that as a man of honour it will be your duty to offer her your hand in marriage, sooner or later. I see no harm in anticipating a few months, if by that means we can pacify her. Terniloff would arrange it at the Embassy. He is devoted to her, and it will strengthen your position with him.”
Dominey turned away towards the stairs.
“We will discuss this again before we leave,” he said gloomily.
Dominey was admitted at once by her maid into his wife's sitting-room. Rosamund, in a charming morning robe of pale blue lined with grey fur, had just finished breakfast. She held out her hands to him with a delighted little cry of welcome.
“How nice of you to come, Everard!” she exclaimed. “I was hoping I should see you for a moment before you went off.”