Her Majesty reserved a dignified silence.
After a while Malone said: "And what if I do?"
"Why, nothing," Her Majesty said. "You don't think Mr. Burris is any smarter or better than you are—but you treat him as if you did. All I am insisting on is the same treatment."
"But if we don't believe—" Boyd began.
"Bless you," Her Majesty said, "I can't help the way you think, but, as Queen, I do have some control over the way you act."
Malone thought it over. "You have a point there," he said at last.
Barbara said: "But—"
"Yes, Sir Kenneth," the Queen said, "I do." She seemed to be ignoring Lady Barbara. Perhaps, Malone thought, she was still angry over the nap affair. "It's not that," the Queen said.
"Not what?" Boyd said, thoroughly confused.
"Not the naps," the Queen said.