Chapter 26
The King followed hard upon the footsteps of his seneschal, and neither Reist nor Marie was wholly at ease in the first moments of greeting. It was the latter to whom the King addressed himself. “My visit, Countess,” he said, “is to you. I am fortunate in finding you at home.” “Your Majesty is very kind!” Marie answered. “I have come,” he continued, “to demand an explanation from you-or rather to beg for it. You have been absent from all our gatherings at the palace lately. I came to assure myself that we had not unwittingly offended you, or to ask you how we can render them sufficiently attractive to insure your presence.” Marie was taken unawares both by the King’s visit and by the directness of his questioning. It was Nicholas who answered for her. “Your Majesty,” he said, “my sist
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