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."How kind of you to ask of her," he said with his warm smile."She 's fine, I assume.I believe her herbal teas will keep her going forever."I don't know what possessed me.My lips did move of their own volition--"Might she take the coca plant for her health?"He turned his disconcerting smile Upon me.I meant to hold my ground, but its warmth Undid me.I dashed a frown to my feet."The coca plant," he said."You remembered.I wish that I could send her some.She would find all sorts of Uses for it."Though I kept my eyes downcast, I could feel the condesa's appraising gaze Upon me."Doctor Debruyne has been growing this plant from the New World," I explained to the leaves in the path."It is supposed to have great medicinal powers." A curse on his beautiful teeth.I am thirty, not some silly girl."We hope to try it as a painkiller," the doctor explained."It is reported that the people of the New World have endless energy and feel little pain when they chew its leaves.They chew it before working in the silver mines in Peru.""If it is so good, why do you not Use it?" asked the condesa.The doctor smiled with regret."If only it were that easy.""My maid," I stammered.Doctor Debruyne raised his brows pleasantly at me as I looked Up."Pardon?""She has a terrible toothache, and neither cloves nor smoke seem to help her.I wonder if this coca." I felt myself blushing like a child.A wry smile crooked the corner of the condesa's mouth."I'm sorry," I said, "it is a foolish idea."He regarded me soberly."Actually, juffrouw, that is a most intriguing application.But there is the problem of testing it first.""What is the problem?" said the Queen.He made as if to speak, then crossed his arms with a frown."I am sorry," I said."I should not have spoken out.""No," he said."I admire your thinking."I turned away, hating myself for the smile that threatened to overcome my face.Mercifully, the topic turned to herbal remedies for the condesa's bunions.After a few more pleasantries, doctor Debruyne took his leave.But even the Queen seemed to respond to his refreshing manner, for her step seemed less burdened as we continued deeper into the woods, the birds flitting in the tangle of boughs above Us, Cher-Ami snuffling off the trail just ahead.A shot rang out.We stopped.The condesa dropped her pomander.It rolled off the path, into some leaves.Madame de Clermont patted the Queen's arm."Perhaps you shall see your King now," she said, which was indeed the logical explanation behind the shot.Only the King and his family were allowed to hunt in these woods."Yes," said the Queen.Madame and I hurried to smooth the Queen's skirts and hair to prepare her for His presence.Cher-Ami yapped ferociously as Don Carlos broke through the cover of the woods, his arquebus pointed at Us, with Don Alessandro tramping close behind.The Queen's gaze darted behind them.The look of disappointment that flitted across her face disappeared as quickly as it had come."Toad!" she said stoutly."Do you wish to kill me?"He rushed forward and fervently kissed her hand."Sweetest Elisabeth, I would never hurt a hair on your head! Tell me I did not truly frighten you!""Hush, Toad, I am fine." The Queen looked over Don Alessandro's shoulder as he took his turn at her hand."What are you two doing out here? I thought you went back to University.""School," scoffed Don Carlos."What need have I for that?"Don Juan stepped from the woods, though he carried no gun."There you are!" said Don Carlos."He ruins our hunt, moving fast when he should move slow, and slow when he should move fast.You would think he is trying to make Us miss all our shots."Don Juan quickly kissed the Queen's hand.She drew it back as if burnt."Now that I have further damaged your hunt," she said lightly to Don Carlos, "will you walk with Us?""You can never damage anything, My Lady." Don Carlos fell in step beside her, his arquebus on his shoulder.You could feel the tension in the air as the rest of Us took our places according to rank.Although the Prince behaved himself now, who knew what would provoke him and how he would respond? I found myself behind Don Juan and the condesa, and next to madame and Don Alessandro, who shouldered his own gun then pantomimed painting, with a questioning grin at me.The group walked along, our silence amplified by the rustling of skirts and the crunch of footsteps Upon the sandy trail.Wood doves cooed loudly from their nests in the crooks of the trees; a fly buzzed among Us.The Queen scooped Up Cher-Ami, who had stopped to smell something, then twirled around to face Don Juan."Do you truly Understand dogs?" she said, walking backward
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