"Perhaps you've seem me on picture-postcards," she said, "or else at the Vivacity. Before I married I was Verity Stilton, you know." "Oh," he stammered in confusion, "I--I wasn't aware--or else--of course. Sorry!" "Why on earth _should_ you be? You don't suppose I'm ashamed of having been on the stage? I should soon have got to the front if I had stayed. I was offered one of the best parts in 'The Girl from Greenland,' and I threw it up to marry Muscombe. His people know perfectly well that I sacrificed my career for his sake." (It might be added that if they did not, it was no fault of Lady Muscombe's.) "I remember you," he said. "I used to go to the Vivacity before the Mater came to the throne." "Ah, you haven't been a Royalty long, have you? Weren't you a Wobbly-something or other before that?" "Wibberley-Stimpson was the family name," he corrected. "I knew it was something like that. And when you were--one of those, what did you do with yourself?" "I was in Finance," he replied largely. "In the City, don't you know, what?" "Really?" she drawled. "That accounts for my not remembering you. Somehow, at the Vivacity, we didn't know any City men. All this must be rather a change for you, isn't it?" "It was a bit, at first, but we soon got into it. Except the Guv'nor, who's never taken very kindly to it--hasn't had the training, what?" "And you _have_? I see. And what does a Fairy Crown Prince have to do?" "Well," he said, "I do a lot of riding and hunting. Mostly boar about here. The Guv'nor don't ride, nor does Edna. Can't induce them to get on a horse. So _I_ have to represent the family." "I expect you're no end of a nut here," she said. "Oh, really, Marchioness, you're pulling my leg!" "Am I? I've never pulled a Fairy Prince's leg before, so it's quite a new experience for me. But one _expects_ new experiences in Fairyland--if this really _is_ Fairyland, which I can't quite believe!" "Oh, it's Fairyland right enough, though, mind you, it isn't the place it _was_. Nothing like the magic that there used to be. Most of it died out. Still, we've got a sort of old Fairy Godmother, as part of the Palace fixtures--goes about in a car drawn by doves--give you my word she does! She has another old turn-out, with storks. We came here in that--and I expect _you_ did." "Yes, and I see the old gentleman over there who carried me off by main force. He doesn't _look_ as if he was such a good hand at abductions!" "He looks pretty much the blithering old idiot he is," said Clarence. "If I'd only known he was going to London I'd have told him to get me a few thousand cigarettes--they've none here of course. But I expect he'd only have brought 'Woodbines,' or the wrong sort anyhow!" "Does he _always_ bring the wrong sort?" inquired Lady Muscombe. "Well," said Clarence, crudely enough, "he didn't make much mistake about _you_, Marchioness!"