The Princess and Jeanne drove homewards in a silence which remained unbroken until the last few minutes.

The events of the evening had been somewhat perplexing to the former.

She scarcely understood even now why a great personage like the Duke of Westerham had shown such interest in her charge.
"Tell me, Jeanne," she asked at last, "why is the Duke of Westerham so friendly with your fisherman ?" Jeanne raised her eyebrows slightly.
"'My fisherman,' as you call him," she answered, "is, after all, Andrew de la Borne! They were at school together." "That is all very well," the Princess answered, "but I cannot see what possible sympathy there can be between them now.

Their stations in life are altogether different.

You talked with the Duke for some time, Jeanne ?" "He was very kind to me," Jeanne answered.
"Did he give you any idea," the Princess asked, "as to why he was staying down at Salthouse with Mr.Andrew ?" "None at all," Jeanne answered.
"You know very well," the Princess continued, "of what I am thinking.
Did he speak to you at all of Major Forrest ?" "Not a word," Jeanne answered.
"Of his brother, then ?" "He did not mention his name," Jeanne declared.
"He asked you no questions at all about anything which may have happened at the Red Hall ?" Jeanne shook her head.
"Certainly not!" "You do not think, then," the Princess persisted, "that it was for the sake of gaining information about his brother that he talked with you so much ?" "Why should I think so ?" Jeanne asked.