At that moment Wogan pushed aside the curtain.

"No, your Highness," said he, "but the King's servant."

The Princess-mother dropped into a chair and looked at her visitor with
despair. It was not the sentinel, to be sure, but, on the other hand, it
was Mr. Wogan, whom she knew for a very insistent man with a great
liking for his own way. She drew little comfort from Mr. Wogan's coming.

It seemed, too, that he was not very welcome to Clementina; for she drew
back a step and in a voice which dropped and had a tremble of
disappointment, "Mr. Wogan," she said, "the King is well served;" and
she stood there without so much as offering him her hand. Wogan had not
counted on so cold a greeting, but he understood the reason, and was not
sure but what he approved of it. After all, she had encountered perils
on the King's account; she had some sort of a justification to believe
the King would do the like for her. It had not occurred to him or
indeed to anyone before; but now that he saw the chosen woman so plainly
wounded, he felt a trifle hot against his King for having disappointed
her. He set his wits to work to dispel the disappointment.

"Your Highness, the truth is there are great matters brewing in Spain.
His Majesty was needed there most urgently. He had to decide between
Innspruck and Cadiz, and it seemed that he would honour your great
confidence in him and at the same time serve you best--"