“But you couldn’t; how could you? You aren’t the right person. Besides,” Philippa rushed on hastily, “even if I cared for you I couldn’t bear to be a Queen. I want to be free, to be able to go about and do as I like. It would kill me to be cooped up and never able to get away from people.”
“But that is my life, always.”
“Oh, you like it. You would be miserable if you hadn’t people for ever hanging about and keeping an eye on you. But I have heard all about it from my father, and though I suppose one could just bear it if one loved a person very much, still—well, I don’t love you, you know.”
“It is a happy prospect for me, since you consider me unable to inspire love, and yet think that love alone could induce a woman to take up such a burden.”
“Oh, but you might find some one who liked it, some princess who was born to that sort of thing. Besides, there’s no reason why another person should not love you, though I don’t.”
“Pardon me, Lady Phil—my selfishness?”
“But you must cure that. Don’t talk about going to the bad and ruining your kingdom because I refuse you. It’s a miserable, cowardly thing to say. What has your kingdom got to do with me? It’s yours, not mine, and you are responsible for it. Besides, you can’t pretend that all the interest you have taken in it lately has been for my sake. You know you find it interesting yourself. These last few months you have been a real king, looking into things and forming your own opinion about them, and your people are pleased. You couldn’t go back to your old way of leaving everything to your Ministers if you wished. You are far too fond of power.”
“Indeed, Lady Phil, I believe you are right.” The King looked surprised, and somewhat ashamed. “After what you have said I can’t very well be so selfish as to entreat you again to make yourself miserable for my sake, and I will try to feel glad that I am to be miserable instead. I may be lonely, but at least you will be happy.”
“Oh, no!” cried Philippa, her eyes filling with tears. “It’s too late.”
“Allow me to ask you one question,” said King Michael, judiciously ignoring the tears. “Do you refuse me because you care for any one else? I think I have the right to ask, for if I am so fortunate as to be without a rival, there might be some hope for me in the future.”