"You forced us to marry each other, sire. We did not want it, no!" she cried, and raised the little, useless handkerchief to her eyes.
There was a pause, then Adrian dismissed the subject with a sentence that gave his companion food for thought during many a day to come.
"Poor Feodor," he said very compassionately. "Twice."
At the other end of the library Allard hesitated, broke the thread of his gay speech, and caught it up again incoherently.
"What is it?" queried the Countess Marya playfully.
"Monsieur Allard looks at the agitation of madame," murmured the petite Baroness Alexia.
All three regarded the pair opposite, and exchanged significant glances.
"Lieutenant Vasili told me that Baron Dalmorov spent two hours with the Emperor last night. Is it so, monsieur?" added Alexia.
"Yes, Baroness," admitted Allard soberly.
She shrugged her shoulders.