"We have few visitors at Dhalmatia," he sighed, "and we would be most happy to entertain you and that other—American."
Was there just the shadow of a pause mere and a slight narrowing about the eyelids as he said this? Solonika's efforts were not confined alone to me. She desired to have the handsome Nicholas call upon her as well.
"Perhaps, in your professional capacity, you will look at the Prince's wounds," he said.
"If the Prince has no objections," I said.
He was idly toying with his cards, listening with a half smile to the conversation. When I pointedly addressed him he looked straight at me with Solonika's eyes. My heart thumped against my ribs, but, when he spoke in a voice like, yet unlike, his sister's, and in halting broken English where hers had run smoothly, the illusion was spoiled, and I was more than half convinced that my quest was a fool's errand.
"I have objections," he said, drawing away.
The Prince, I could see, still suffered considerable pain when he moved his right arm, which was to be expected. The slight contusions on the head were healing nicely; and the Duke said that no complications or internal injuries showed signs of developing.
"Your son will suffer no inconvenience at the coronation," I said in reply to the Duke's anxious question. "He will be entirely recovered by that time, I should think, if he remains perfectly quiet."
"You hear, Raoul, you must not run about so much," cried the father.
"I hear," said the boy, with one of Solonika's brightest smiles.