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that—”
    Magda stated, “I, of course, will go with Rudolph.” She gave him the big smile, put her hand under his arm.
    Trudy shoved a coat at Johnnie. “Put this on. Button it up.” She had a little short cape of ermine around her shoulders.
    “I can’t go with you,” Johnnie told her under his breath. “Not without my uniform. Where’s my uniform?”
    “It isn’t back yet,” Trudy muttered. “You look all right. You might as well come along. I might need you. And it’ll be a good party.”
    Rudolph whined, “What are we waiting for? It’s a supper party.”
    “You stick with Magda,” Trudy ordered under her breath. “You’re her attendant.” Johnnie didn’t get to say any more. She slid back to Dorp and Theo, started with them down the stairs.
    The squadron stood at attention on either side. The two men who had been outside the throne room followed Dorp, Theo and Trudy. After them went Ottomkopf and Janssen, Magda and Rudolph, with Johnnie bringing up the rear. He didn’t know what else to do. If he lost sight of Trudy he might never get his uniform back. He hoped the brownout was still working. It’d be too bad if the M. P.’s spotted him now.
    There were no strangers visible in the street. Two cars stood at the curb. The first was a Chevrolet sedan. One jumping jack was at the wheel. Theo climbed in beside him; Dorp and Trudy took the rear. The big black limousine behind it had the other jumping jack in the driver’s seat. Ottomkopf took his place beside him. Magda and Rudolph took up the back seat. That left jump seats for Janssen and Johnnie.
    The cars rolled away. Johnnie took out his package of cigarettes. “Smoke?” he offered Janssen.
    Janssen said sharply but softly, “No!”
    Johnnie lit his own. Janssen looked horrified. He was making gestures but Johnnie ignored them. If they meant that Johnnie shouldn’t have a cigarette that was too bad. Rudolph was smelling up the car with his brand. And Rudolph was complaining, “I don’t know that I like this plan at all, Magda.”
    “You want to reign, don’t you?”
    “Yes, certainly I do. That’s the only reason I left Mexico. I wasn’t afraid of those men Otto was always burbling about. I never laid eyes on them. I liked Mexico. I learned to eat chile. I dearly love chile, Magda. Who’s going to make chile for me at home?”
    “Chile.” She almost snorted it. “With a throne waiting.”
    “I came, didn’t I? But I don’t like it. How do we know it’s safe?”
    “The enemy can’t last another year, Rudolph. You’ll have to be on hand to take over, near, where you can fly over the border in a couple of hours.”
    “How do I know it isn’t just a trick to get me back there? Who is this dreadful little fat man, Herr Dorp, anyway? Where did you find him? How do we know he isn’t working for Hitler, trying to get me to go back and be a puppet king? I won’t be a puppet king. I’ll run away again. That’s why I ran away before.”
    “And because you didn’t like the bombs,” she slurred.
    “And no butter and no sugar and no coffee. In Mexico—”
    Magda’s voice was sweet as molasses but underneath there was that glint she showed when she talked to Johnnie. “You want to be king, don’t you? If you aren’t there when the enemy is defeated, the people will elect a president. How would you like to see your stableman, Kraken, president?”
    Johnnie leaned around to put in his oar. “Abraham Lincoln was born in a log cabin. He made a good president.”
    “Who asked you?” Magda retorted. Her green eyes widened in disgust. “How did you get in this car?”
    “I’m following you,” Johnnie said. “Like you told me.”
    “I wanted you left behind. You’re stupid. I meant to tell Dorp.” She shook her head. “That’s what comes of hurrying, upsetting everything.”
    “I didn’t want to come. That’s what I wanted to tell you upstairs. I have to—”
    “Keep quiet,” she ordered.
    “Okay, Princess.”