‘The Grand Duke and my Serene master are like brothers. At present, of course, Prince Aribert is nominally heir to the throne, but as no doubt you are aware, the Grand Duke will shortly marry a near relative of the Emperor’s, and should there be a family--’ Mr Dimmock stopped and shrugged his straight shoulders. ‘The Grand Duke,’ he went on, without finishing the last sentence, ‘would much prefer Prince Aribert to be his successor. He really doesn’t want to marry. Between ourselves, strictly between ourselves, he regards marriage as rather a bore. But, of course, being a German Grand Duke, he is bound to marry. He owes it to his country, to Posen.’ ‘How large is Posen?’ asked Racksole bluntly. ‘Father,’ Nella interposed laughing, ‘you shouldn’t ask such inconvenient questions. You ought to have guessed that it isn’t etiquette to inquire about the size of a German Dukedom.’ ‘I am sure,’ said Dimmock, with a polite smile, ‘that the Grand Duke is as much amused as anyone at the size of his territory. I forget the exact acreage, but I remember that once Prince Aribert and myself walked across it and back again in a single day.’ ‘Then the Grand Duke cannot travel very far within his own dominions? You may say that the sun does set on his empire?’ ‘It does,’ said Dimmock. ‘Unless the weather is cloudy,’ Nella put in. ‘Is the Grand Duke content always to stay at home?’ ‘On the contrary, he is a great traveller, much more so than Prince Aribert. I may tell you, what no one knows at present, outside this hotel, that his Royal Highness the Grand Duke, with a small suite, will be here to- morrow.’ ‘In London?’ asked Nella. ‘Yes.’ ‘In this hotel?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘Oh! How lovely!’ ‘That is why your humble servant is here to-night--a sort of advance guard.’ ‘But I understood,’ Racksole said, ‘that you were--er--attached to Prince Aribert, the uncle.’ ‘I am. Prince Aribert will also be here. The Grand Duke and the Prince have business about important investments connected with the Grand Duke’s marriage settlement.... In the highest quarters, you understand.’ ‘For so discreet a person,’ thought Racksole, ‘you are fairly communicative.’ Then he said aloud: ‘Shall we go out on the terrace?’ As they crossed the dining-room Jules stopped Mr Dimmock and handed him a letter. ‘Just come, sir, by messenger,’ said Jules. Nella dropped behind for a second with her father. ‘Leave me alone with this boy a little--there’s a dear parent,’ she whispered in his ear. ‘I am a mere cypher, an obedient nobody,’ Racksole replied, pinching her arm surreptitiously. ‘Treat me as such. Use me as you like. I will go and look after my hotel’ And soon afterwards he disappeared.