“That’s it!” Madeline Spencer exclaimed, “that’s it!—Here is the glass——”
He lingered for another glance, before summoning the others—and Mrs. Spencer forestalled him.
She ran to the door and flung it wide.
“Come,” she said, “come——His Highness needs you.”
The Princess had been talking to Colonel Moore, her back to the door; as it opened, she threw up her head, and turned with an eager smile, thinking it was Armand—and so gave Mrs. Spencer a full view of her face. Then Moore stepped quickly between them and suavely bowed Mrs. Spencer into her boudoir; the next moment the Archduke was there.
“With your permission, madame, we will extinguish the lights,” he said, “and raise the shades.”
She smiled maliciously, deliberately moving near enough to see the Princess over Moore’s shoulder.
“Extinguish the lights?” she laughed, “certainly; darkness will be better for the business, and will conceal—everyone,” and herself went over to the main switch at the corridor door and pushed it open.
The Princess caught Armand’s hand.
“She recognized me,” she whispered.