“Perhaps,” said Caerleon, “and I was ready to stay on there as long as I was wanted. I was not anxious to leave Bellaviste--in fact, I objected most strongly to doing so; I had no hand in announcing my own death, nor in getting King Otto Georg crowned, but all these things happened, and it is pretty clear to me that any work that is to be done is left for other people.” “But you must not leave it,” she cried. “Oh, why won’t you listen to me?” “Isn’t that rather hard, when I have always obeyed you so implicitly? I don’t deny that if you would have listened to me at Bellaviste on a certain evening, Thracia would not have appeared quite such a howling wilderness as it did latterly. But after all, that was not the cause of my leaving, and I would not go back there now, even if you refused to have anything more to say to me unless I did.” “You have no right whatever to suggest such a thing,” said Nadia, with great dignity. “Quite so; I haven’t. But I know very well that I am not going back on the old footing, which I suppose you intended should continue? I thought so. It seems to me that you are making the choice a very easy one. But I beg your pardon for teasing you. The fact is, that I am not going to plunge Thracia, and perhaps Europe, into bloodshed to gratify my personal ambition--or even yours for me. King Otto Georg is liked by the people and acceptable to the Powers, whereas my return would be the signal for revolution, perhaps for a European war. That risk I will not incur, even to please you.” “I never thought you were a coward!” she cried, bitterly. Caerleon looked down at her with a smile which he could not repress. “I wonder whether it has ever occurred to you what a very queer girl you are?” he said. For the moment he thought that Nadia would have struck him. “How dare you say that to me?” she cried, and rushed away. CHAPTER XXIV. THE KING HAS HIS OWN. “Can you spare me a minute or two, Princess?” asked Caerleon, coming into the cool and shaded drawing-room, where his hostess sat writing a circular letter to her band of Bible-women at Pavelsburg. “I will spare you any number of minutes--half an hour if you like,” returned the Princess, with a smile. “Sit down here,” and she pointed to a low chair beside her. “Cyril and I have been talking over our plans,” Caerleon went on, but she interrupted him impulsively. “I hope you did not decide to adopt any of them, then, for I have one to suggest. The doctor recommends a sea-voyage for your brother, and I have been looking forward to your coming with us for a cruise in the Anna Karénina.” “You are much too kind,” said Caerleon. “After the shameful way in which we have been imposing upon your good nature all these weeks, we really can’t quarter ourselves upon you any longer. Now that Cyril is well enough to travel, we ought to be looking out for some place of our own.”