"Not Miss Thompson, please, Sir Kenneth," Her Majesty said.
"Not Miss Thompson what?" Boyd said. "What's going on anyhow?"
"She's reading my mind," Malone said.
"Well, then," Boyd snapped, "tell her to keep it to herself." The car started up again with a roar and Malone and the others were thrown around again, this time toward the back. There was a chorus of groans and squeals, and they were on their way once more.
"To reply to your question, Sir Kenneth," the Queen said.
Lady Barbara said, with some composure: "What question—Your Majesty?"
The Queen nodded regally at her. "Sir Kenneth was wondering why I wished to go to the Golden Palace," she said. "And my reply is this: it is none of your business why I want to go there. After all, is my word law, or isn't it?"
There didn't seem to be a good enough answer to that, Malone thought sadly. He kept quiet and was relieved to note that the others did the same. However, after a second he thought of something else.
"Your Majesty," he began carefully, "we've got to go to Yucca Flats tomorrow. Remember?"
"Certainly," the Queen said. "My memory is quite good, thank you. But that is tomorrow morning. We have the rest of the night left. It's only a little after nine, you know."