"Heavens," Barbara said. "Is it that late?"
"It's even later," Boyd said sourly. "It's much later than you think."
"And it's getting later all the time," Malone added. "Pretty soon the sun will go out and all life on earth will end. Won't that be nice and peaceful?"
"I'm looking forward to it," Boyd said.
"I'm not," Barbara said. "But I've got to get some sleep tonight, if
I'm going to be any good at all tomorrow."
You're pretty good right now, Malone thought, but he didn't say a word. He felt the Queen's eye on him but didn't turn around. After all, she was on his side—wasn't she?
At any rate, she didn't say anything.
"Perhaps it would be best," Barbara said, "if you and I—Your Majesty—just went home and rested up. Some other time, then, when there's nothing vital to do, we could—"
"No," the Queen said. "We couldn't. Really, Lady Barbara, how often will I have to remind you of the duties you owe your sovereign—not the least of which is obedience, as dear old Ben used to say."
"Ben?" Malone said, and immediately wished he hadn't.