"No--what?"
"It is somewhat remarkable news. If you are afraid of fainting,"
he added, with rough humour, "hold your bottle of salts ready."
Flavia looked up uneasily, wondering whether there were anything
wrong about San Giacinto. She knew very well that her father had
been glad to get rid of her.
"I am not San Giacinto after all," he said quietly. Flavia started
and drew back.
"Who are you then?" she asked quickly.
"I am Prince Saracinesca, and you are the princess." He spoke very
calmly, and watched her face to see the effect of the news.
"I wish you were!" she exclaimed nervously. She wondered whether
he was going mad.
"There seems to be no doubt about it," he answered, "your father
informed me of the fact as a wedding present. He has examined all
the papers and will send the lawyers out to Frascati to prepare
the case with me."
He told her the whole story in detail. As he proceeded, a singular
expression came into Flavia's face, and when he had finished she
broke out into voluble expressions of joy.
"I always knew that I was born to be a princess--I mean a real
one! How could I be anything else? Oh! I am so happy, and you are
such a darling to be a prince! And to think that if papa had not
discovered the papers, those horrid Sant' Ilario people would have
had everything.
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