Lady Maundevyle ignored this, too. ‘Happy day!’ she said in a ringing voice. ‘Happy hour! The dragons of Maundevyle have returned!’
And to Gussie’s immense surprise and horror, Lady Maundevyle made her — Gussie — the low obeisance that might ordinarily be offered a queen.
‘No,’ said Gussie, backing away. ‘I had nothing to do with this! This is an abomination! If you cannot see that Lord Maundevyle wanted nothing to do with the Wyrde, it is plain enough to everyone else!’
‘But you had everything to do with it,’ said her ladyship, smiling blissfully. ‘Sweet scion of Werth, have you still no suspicion?’
Footsteps sounded. Strolling up to his mother’s side came Charles Selwyn, looking… altered. Not so profoundly so as his brother, for he was still human, still himself. But there was a susp
