Early the following morning, before the tourists left the breakfast room, Count Chalmys and his two friends hurried in.
“Well, when will you be ready to visit my palace?” said he.
“What palace?” asked Mr. Alexander, frowning at what he considered a Movie joke from the actor.
“Why, my palace. I expected you to come with me to visit at Chalmys Palace, today. You said you would!” wondered the Count.
“Have you really got a palace?” asked Dodo, innocently.
Her expression caused the others to laugh, and Count Chalmys returned: “Of course I have. Would I invite you to visit me if I had no place to entertain?”
Everyone looked at everyone else, and then at the three actors. Finally the Count began to understand that the Fabian party had not had the slightest inkling of the scene that took place the night before, and so the facts began to come forth.
Mrs. Alexander was the only member in the party who had no interest in visiting the Count, now. When he said that another scene in the play was to take place that afternoon at his palace, the girls were eager to go and watch the interesting picture-making.
So they all started out, Mrs. Alexander going, too; but she insisted upon having it understood that she was not interested in the visit other than to accompany her friends.
Count Chalmys had made elaborate preparations for the guests, and when they sat down to luncheon in the grand old palace, Mrs. Alexander stared in amazement at the crest embroidered on the napkins. The liveried servants came and went noiselessly, carrying services of old plate with the coat of arms in filigree on the engraved edges.