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He caave hiie reh

"But they do seem to be less noisy I’m afraid Victoria has too soft a nature Just look what happened to her poor lip"

Once they were seated Algie said, rather unnecessarily, "That was my uncle The prince" His tone was reverent and hushed

"He seehness would round?" He sounded horrified at the thought

"I wonder what his bride will be like," Kate said, again picturing the prince silhouetted against the sun He was the sort of n land, a woman wrapped in ropes of pearls and dia to sound as if he knehat he was talking about "I ht it was better that he not notice you until" He waved a hand "You know, until you change"

As far as Kate could tell, he hadn’t minded a bit that Kate didn’t look as pretty as Victoria--until now

"I’ a little "For what?"

"I’m not as much fun to have on your arm as Victoria The prince would surely have noticed how beautiful she is"

Algie was too young to dissemble "I do wish she were here," he said "But it’s probably better this way, because what if she saw him and she decided" His voice trailed off

"Victoria adores you," Kate told hi an impulse to add "more the fool she" They were perfectly ie: both fuzzy and sweet and awed by anyone with two thoughts to knock together "And remember, the prince would never in a million years h in the instep for even a duke’s daughter, let alone sorowled out theat a passing carriage "On the floor," she said sternly, and he hopped down But Freddie put his front paws on the seat and whined gently, so she let hi little body against her and then collapsed, chin in her lap

"I say, that’s not fair," Algie pointed out

"Life isn’t fair," Kate said "Freddie is being rewarded for not barking"

"He’s brilliant," Algie said, rather unexpectedly

Kate blinked down at Freddie, as decidedly not brilliant

"I ree at Oxford I didn’t even bother going to university But he took a top degree in ancient history Or soance and royal blood and a truly beautiful riding coat, but brains ?

Not so likely Weren’t all those princes inbred? "Likely they give every prince a top degree just for gracing the door of the university," she pointed out "After all, what else could they say? ‘I do apologize, Your Highness, but you’re as stupid as a hedgehog, and so we can’t give you a degree’?"

As they trundled the lastof disrespect for a man whose hair curled wildly around his shoulders, who spent his ti about accoreet her