“Also she is my cousin,” said he to Mr. Howard. But, he did not add, cousin on his mother’s side, and so of far older stock than he.
“Her father is the military governor of St. Petersburg,” added Mrs. Howard. “They say she is the proudest, haughtiest young—I beg your pardon, prince, but that’s just what people say.” She looked at her husband. “We haven’t met her yet. She has been travelling in France, Italy and Germany, and she returned only to-day.”
“I saw her,” Alice announced.
“You were at her house?” asked the prince.
“No. I was out driving this morning and I chanced to go near the Warsaw Station just after the Berlin Express had arrived. She had just come in from Berlin. I saw her drive by.”
“Was she as beautiful as people say?” Drexel asked mechanically.
Alice sniffed. “Oh, I suppose some men might think her moderately good-looking. Judge for yourself when you see her to-night.”
“You will have an even better chance to judge her day after to-morrow,” said the prince. “She has just written that she is coming to the house party.”
At this moment Countess Baronova, sweeping past, bowed to them. “And you are coming, too, countess?” added the prince.
She paused. “Coming to what?”