Before the Council broke up, the ex-Regent undertook that, as soon as Clarence had selected the ground, the Gnomes should be removed from their present quarters, and placed under the Crown Prince's directions. "Never again, Sidney," declared the Queen afterwards, "will you and I sit through one of those tiresome councils! We'll leave them to manage their own silly business, and if there's anything that requires our signatures, they can bring the papers to us, and we'll sign them in our own rooms. If there should be any difficulty, we can always ask the Marshal--he's so very sympathetic and helpful." "Very," said the King, "oh, very--that is, I half fancied now and then--but I believe he means us well. Yes, on the whole, my dear, I think he's a person we can trust." "You needn't _think_ about it, Sidney," she replied; "you can feel absolutely _certain_ that there's _nothing_ that man wouldn't do for us!" CHAPTER VII A GAME THEY DID NOT UNDERSTAND With regard to the Royal visit to the Gold Mine, it should be mentioned that, on returning to the Palace, the Queen and Princess Ruby had met Daphne in one of the galleries. Ruby ran to her impulsively: "Oh, Miss Heritage!" she cried, "we've had a ripping afternoon. Such fun throwing money to the people, and seeing them scramble for it! We saw the Gold Mine. And all the darling little Gnomes! You _would_ have loved them! I do wish you had come with us!" "I fully intended to have arranged for you to do so, Miss Heritage," said Queen Selina, with unwonted graciousness. "But with so much to think of----! Do you happen to know where my other ladies-in-waiting are?... In the Tapestry Chamber? Then I must get you to show me to it, for I don't know my way yet about this immense house.... Through here? Yes, you will accompany me--in fact, I particularly desire you to be present." At her entrance the Maids of Honour all rose from their seats and made obeisances which, but for the Court Godmother's revelations of their ancestries, would have occasioned their Sovereign agonies of embarrassment. But she felt she could face them now without _mauvaise honte_, and indeed with all the assurance of superiority. "You may sit down, _girls_," she said, and although they found it hard to believe at first that they could be the persons thus addressed, they sat down.