Ilona drew in her breath. She could understand so well what had happened.
“What was the message my father sent to the Prince?” she asked.
The Colonel hesitated before he replied:
“Her Royal Highness, the Princess Ilona of Dabrozka, has no wish to speak to or see Prince Aladár before she is forced by circumstances to do so.”
The Colonel spoke in a low voice, then said quickly,
“I deeply regret that this should have happened.”
“I insist on seeing my father,” Ilona said.
She felt a surge of rage within herself that her father should have behaved so discourteously, so insultingly, towards the man she was to marry.
Could anything be more unfortunate at this particular moment?
Colonel Ceáky did not argue with her but walked across the room and opened the door into the King’s apartments.
