Fortunately I grasped the situation at once.
"Thank you, Mary," I said, with what I now feel to have been most commendable coolness in the entirely unprecedented circumstances; "I will ring if I want tea later."
When the door had closed upon the still gasping Mary I turned apologetically to my visitor.
"I'm so sorry, your Majesty," I said. "You see, my maid was not unnaturally a little surprised—"
"It's quite all right," said the Fairy Queen graciously; "I thought you wouldn't mind my coming in."
"Of course not," I said; "I am only too delighted. Won't you come nearer the fire?"
She looked down at the cushion on which she was sitting, then she looked up at me and smiled.
"I don't like to leave it," she said; "it's so pretty." And she stroked the soft gold stuff with her tiny hand.
"Yes," I said; "and your lovely frock goes with it so beautifully. But how would this be?"
I stooped, gently lifted the cushion with its delicate burden and put it down on the floor in front of the fire. "There—how is that?"