A ripple of surprise had gone round the room. For all the air of the
ultimate about the island-women, St. George doubted whether ever in
the three thousand years of Yaque's history a woman had raised her
voice from that throne upon a like occasion. And such a tender,
beguiling, cajoling little voice it was. A voice that held little
remarques upon whatever it had just said, and that made one
breathless to know what would come next.
"Bully!" breathed Amory, his eyes shining behind his pince-nez.
Prince Tabnit hesitated.
"If the princess wishes to speak with us--" he began, and Olivia
made a charming gesture of dissent, and all the jewels in her hair
and upon her white throat caught the light and were set glittering.
"No," she said gently, "no, your Highness. I wish to speak in the
presence of my people."
She gave the "my" no undue value, yet it fell from her lips with
delicious audacity.
"Indeed," she said, "I think, your Highness, that I will speak to my
people myself."
CHAPTER XI
THE END OF THE EVENING
The Hall of Kings was very still as Olivia rose.
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