She watched nervously to see whether her face changed its gay expression, and once she thought it became depressed, but this was when the Grand-Duke came up to claim his waltz, and the look rapidly passed away when they got upon the floor and his Highness began to wheel round the room with a precision and momentum that would have done honour to a regiment of Life Guards.

He seemed pleased with his experiment, for he was seen again and again careering over the floor with Sybil until Mrs.Lee herself became nervous, for the Princess frowned.
After her release Madeleine lingered awhile in the ball-room to speak with her sister and to receive congratulations.

For half an hour she was a greater belle than Sybil.

A crowd of men clustered about her, amused at the part she had played in the evening's entertainment and full of compliments upon her promotion at Court.

Lord Skye himself found time to offer her his thanks in a more serious tone than he generally affected.
"You have suffered much," said he, "and I am grateful." Madeleine laughed as she answered that her sufferings had seemed nothing to her while she watched his.