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suspect.
    "We must always be on our guard," he said, "but I'm sure you have someone in heaven looking after you,"
    The way he said it made her smile a little shyly before she answered,
    "I only hope that's true. But I said my prayers before I came here and I think in finding you, one of them has certainly been answered."
    "Then I must make sure you continue to feel like that. There are a great many different things going on over the next few days – parties, processions and fireworks."
    "Oh, I love fireworks. We have them sometimes on Oltenitza and how the people love them.
    There was silence for a moment. Then the Duke said,
    "We hear very strange stories about the Balkans and how the Russians menace you. Is that really true?"
    "I am afraid it is," Ola replied. "Only one thing makes them pause, and that is where a country is protected by the Queen of England, through a strategic marriage."
    "I hate to tell you this," said the Duke, "but we all know that sooner or later she will run out of royal brides."
    An imp of mischief made her say,
    "Perhaps they'll give me a royal prince. Her Majesty has several sons, and grandsons."
    "Would you do that?" he asked. "Enter an arranged marriage for the sake of your country?"
    He did not look at her as he said this, and something told her that the question saddened him.
    "We must all do our duty," she said. "But it would be very hard to marry without love. In fact, it would almost make life meaningless."
    "Totally meaningless," he said firmly.
    "I think we all dream of finding the perfect person," Ola said softly, "Someone who will forgive our faults and go on loving us even though we're not perfect, someone who will understand the things we do that might seem strange and – " she broke off before she was tempted to say too much.
    He was looking at her curiously.
    "You almost seem to speak with a particular meaning," he said. "As though the words meant something special to you."
    "No, not at all," Ola disclaimed quickly. "It's only that I've seen many marriages made for ambition – are there any other kind at court? – and they were so unhappy that I resolved to find something better."
    "If they will allow you."
    "Yes, if they will allow me."
    "Shall I tell you something?" the Duke said. "When I listen to you I seem to hear my own heart speaking. This is exactly what I've always thought. True love means loving somebody at their worst as well as their best.
    "When I marry – and I must do so one day – I want a woman with a great heart. But where am I to find that in the marriage mart, where I meet only simpering girls being pushed at me by their ambitious Mamas, who want my title?"
    "It is equally sad for both of us," she said.
    He seemed to give himself a little shake. "Yes, but enough of sadness. Tomorrow we shall simply enjoy being together, and I shall keep you to myself. I don't want to share you with other men, who will try to intrude because you're so beautiful."
    Ola laughed.
    "Perhaps it's just because I'm a Princess. "So if we meet anyone, just say I am a friend from overseas. You can call me Fraulein Schmidt."
    "You are making it all very mysterious," the Duke replied, "but I see your point. Even so, I think I'll have to fight the other fellows to keep 'Fraulein Schmidt' to myself."
    "Thank you, kind sir. And can we do all the exciting things that I'm not usually allowed to do, and which are usually the only things worth doing?"
    "Anything you want, I promise. I shall send a message to your hotel tomorrow morning, to let you know the arrangements. That is – if it shall please Your Royal Highness."
    "Whatever you arrange will please me," she said recklessly. "Oh, this is so much like a lovely dream, that I'm afraid I'll wake up."
    "I won't let you," the Duke answered with a smile, "and that's a promise. And now I must take you home. It's much later than I thought. The dragon who protects you will be very angry with me. But I've enjoyed myself so much with you that I