‘The Prince?’ she asked wildly. The Prince?’
‘He is not dead,’ Sir Robert said grimly. ‘Which is a pity, for I meant to kill him.’
Mistral gave a little sob.
But what has he – done?’ she asked. ‘He rescued me from – the Rajah! It was the Rajah who – took me – away.’
‘The Rajah!’
There was no mistaking the astonishment in Sir Robert’s voice.
‘Yes, the Prince – saved me,’ Mistral repeated. ‘I tried to tell you – I tried – but you would not let – me.’
Sir Robert stared down at her as if he sought the truth in her eyes raised to his and from her lips which were only a few inches away.
‘Tell me what happened,’ he said at length.
‘I was leaving the Restaurant des Fleurs with my aunt,’ Mistral said, speaking at first weakly then gathering strength as her story proceeded. ‘Just as we were
