“No, she would think it was cowardly of me to forsake her, whatever she might say; and if I went off in that way, after the kind treatment we have received from the Prince and Princess, it would make my poor mother’s position worse than ever.”
“I don’t believe that the Prince and Princess would mind it a bit. For I will say that for him—he isn’t such a bad fellow; and I nearly like her. He isn’t so very easy, Frank, I can tell you. He’s pretty nearly a prisoner. The King won’t let him go and live away, because he’s afraid he’d grow popular, and things would be worse than they are. Look how the people are talking, and how daring they are getting.”
“Are they?”
“Oh yes. There’ll be trouble soon. Come on.”
“Mind, I trust to your honour, Drew.”
“Of course. Then you won’t come off with me?”
“No—I—will not.”
Andrew laughed.
“I say, though,” he said, as they went past the quarters the baron had occupied, “it was rather comic to see that cripple go. Just before he got into the carriage, he turned to thank the doctor, and he caught sight of me.”
“What! did he recognise you?”