He ran along the corridor, still laughing, and Félicia returned angrily to her own room. It was the laughter that annoyed her. Even if Usk had refused to yield, he ought to have taken her objection seriously. He was so sure of her that he thought he could afford to laugh at her, was he? Very well; it might be advisable to show him that he need not be quite so sure.
Maimie, in the meantime, had been taking advantage of the change in the situation. After giving Usk’s message to Félicia, she wandered down to the second of the terraces before the Castle, where King Michael was wont to smoke his after-breakfast cigar. It was his custom to breakfast in his own rooms, and Maimie felt comfortably certain that Usk would not have thought of hunting for him in the garden in order to bid him farewell. When she caught sight of him, he was walking up and down somewhat listlessly, as though he missed the companionship of Captain Andreivics, but she saw a change pass over his face when he heard the tap of her heels on the terrace above. As she came down the steps, she could see him before he saw her, and it gave her a keen delight to see his look of disappointment when he met her at the foot.
“Good morning, Baron!” she remarked cheerfully. “Say, we shall be left awfully lonely to-night, shan’t we—what with the Captain leaving yesterday, and Lord Usk this morning, and you this evening, I suppose?”
“I leave to-morrow,” said the King, looking at her with cold surprise.
“No, is that so? I guess Lord Usk don’t know it, rushing off the way he has. He would never leave Félicia unguarded a whole day.”
“Is Miss Steinherz supposed to be in danger from me?”
Maimie laughed mischievously. “You know your own reputation best, Baron. I don’t see but Lord Usk thought it wasn’t enough to warn Félicia against you, the way he has mounted guard over her.”
“Oh, our friend Usk felt it necessary to warn his bride against me, did he? I think that was not playing the game, as they say here.”
“Well, I guess I oughtn’t to have given him away. He knows his way about, I suppose, and—yes, it was just as well he did it.”
“Why? Has it produced the opposite effect, as usual, and induced the young lady to honour me with her friendly interest?”