As she finished speaking, Gloria realised that she had been extremely rude.
She was still flushed with anger at her dislike for the Prince.
After a pregnant pause of several minutes he said,
“At least you are frank!”
“I see no point in being anything else,” Gloria replied. “I have come here merely because I do not want Her Majesty the Queen Victotia to vent her wrath on my family.”
“I have always heard that she is a ferocious despot,” the Prince commented.
He walked across the room to stand in front of the fireplace.
Gloria thought that it was what her father always did when he was thinking.
She was sure that the Prince was disconcerted by her behaviour, but it did not trouble her in any way.
She merely thought that it was good for him to know the whole truth about her situation a
