They drove on in utter silence. Mistral longed to speak, but she knew that directly she uttered a word she would again be commanded to be silent. The Prince stared out of the window. She wished she could tell him not to worry, that whatever Aunt Emilie said or did she could not force her to marry against her will. She might bully or subdue her, but marriage was a Sacrament of the Church and in that at least she must be allowed the expression of her own free will.
But it was no use trying to tell the Prince that in Aunt Emilie’s presence and Mistral could only suffer in silence, at times feeling so weak that she felt she must faint. It was lack of food, she knew, remembering that she had had no breakfast. It was with relief that she realised that they were nearing the Chateau d’Horizon.
I
