“Eh? What?”
“I came to beg your Royal Highness’s pardon, and to ask your permission for my mother and me to leave the royal service at once. We both feel that it is not the place for us now.”
“Humph!” ejaculated the Prince, frowning; “and I think differently. Take him away, Murray; the boy is hurt—wounded now.—That will do, Gowan; go. No: I refuse absolutely. The Princess does not wish Lady Gowan to leave; and I want you.”
“There!” cried Captain Murray, as they crossed the courtyard on their way back to the officers’ quarters; “it is what I expected of the Prince. You can’t leave us unless you run away, Frank; and you’ve proved yourself too much of a gentleman for that. You see, everybody wants you here.”
Frank could not trust himself to speak, for he was, in spite of his troubles, some years short of manhood and manhood’s strength.
Chapter Thirty Six.
The Worst News.
Next morning Frank rose in his old quarters, firmly determined to keep to his decision. It was very kind and generous of the Prince, he felt; but his position would be intolerable, and his mother would not be able to bear an existence fraught with so much misery; and, full of the intention to see her and beg her to prevail on the Princess to let them leave, he waited his time.