“Queen Mary,” he said, “I did forget and it was hateful of me. But there was a reason for my forgetting. You see I have a secret, too, and I’ve been thinking and thinking about it and almost forgot everything else. Will you forgive me?”
“Please,” said Martha Mary. “Yes, but I should like to know the secret.”
Flip bit his lip. He really wanted to tell but did not know if he had the right. You see when people know nice things it is much more fun to tell them to everybody. So he agreed. He said the secret was only for Martha Mary, so the boys and Liza would have to go away for ten minutes. Martha Mary raised her willow branch scepter and ordered them away. Then Flip lay on the grass and rested his head against Martha Mary’s knees and closed his eyes.
“Please,” said Martha Mary. “I am waiting.”
“It’s hard to tell, Silly,” said Flip.
“But you promised.”
“Well,” said Flip, and got all red. “I’m in love!”
“Flip!” said Martha Mary, so surprised that she almost tumbled off her throne. “Only grown-ups fall in love.”
“But I am grown-up. I’m more than twenty-four years old.”
“Is that old enough?”