expected that she would have had more to say to him than just those
five words expressing her readiness to depart. He had looked for
some acknowledgment of satisfaction at his presence, some utterances
of gratitude either to himself or to the Queen-Regent for the
promptness with which she had been succoured. He was disappointed,
but he showed nothing of it, as with a simple inclination of the
head -

"Good!" said he. "Since you are ready and Monsieur le Seneschal is
anxious to be rid of us, let us by all means be moving. You have a
long and tedious journey before you, mademoiselle."

"I - I am prepared for that," she faltered.

He stood aside, and bending from the waist he made a sweeping
gesture towards the door with the hand that held his hat. To the
invitation to precede him she readily responded, and, with a bow
to the Seneschal, she began to walk across the apartment.

Garnache's eyes, narrowing slightly, followed her, like points of
steel. Suddenly he shot a disturbing glance at Tressan's face, and
the corner of his wild-cat mustachios twitched. He stood erect, and
called her very sharply.

"Mademoiselle!"

She stopped, and turned to face him, an incredible shyness seeming
to cause her to avoid his gaze.

"You have, no doubt, Monsieur le Seneschal's word for my identity.