"And so I am."
He waved the idea aside. "You are her nearest male relative after myself."
"That may mitigate my presumption—but, none the less, I'm a stranger."
"No Dalberg is stranger to a Dalberg, and least of all in the presence of the Dalberg King," he said. Then the smile came again. "But, by the Lord, sir, I admire your pluck—to kiss the Princess Royal of Valeria before her father's very face."
"It wasn't pluck," I protested. "It was rank ignorance. I was at a loss what greeting was proper;" and I explained my perplexity.
"Of course," he said kindly, but with a shrewd twinkle in his blue eyes, "I understand. Only, I fancy it would be wiser that I make your excuses to your cousin. For, believe me, my dear Major, for one in such doubt you kissed her with amazing promptness."
This time Courtney laughed aloud and the King and I joined him.
"Then you think I may venture, sometime, to speak to her without renewed offence?" I asked presently, as we were about to retire.
"Assuredly," said the King. "When you meet her again to-night act as though you had known her always. I'll answer for it, she will not respond with a blow."
Just at the door he called to me.