Spring of that year came round, and my life with Ernest was immersed in the Prince's private world. I had begun to feel at home at the Fort, and the Prince, admiring the way I ran our own house, would consult me from time to time, that I might give some directions at the Fort; and so I found myself suggesting new dishes to be added to the menu, or making changes in the arrangement of the furniture, and other things besides...
The Prince mentioned to me once that he wished to return to Biarritz in the month of August, and to rent a house where he would spend the summer holiday, and he invited me, with Ernest, to stay with him. But I informed him that Ernest would be traveling to America on business, and I had asked Aunt 'Bessie' to stay with me in the meantime... whereupon he welcomed my staying, with my aunt, as his guest...
And so Aunt 'Bessie' arrived in early July, and Ernest left a week later; and on the first of August we were with the Prince and the rest of his guests, among them Hugh Lloyd Thomas, General Trotter, John Aird, and
Lieutenant Colin Buist and his wife. The Prince rented a splendid 'villa' overlooking the sea and the little bay... and soon I found myself alone with the Prince, from time to time, taking luncheon out... At the end of the month Mrs. Kenelm Guinness joined us — we called her 'Posy' — a fair-haired friend, all liveliness and merri
ment... She was a relative of Lord Moyne, of the well-known Guinness family... Lord Moyne was cruising nearby in his yacht 'Rosaura,' and 'Posy' suggested that we join him on his cruise. The Prince agreed to the suggestion, having grown weary of Biarritz; but Aunt 'Bessie' wished to travel to Italy, and refused to be turned from her resolve...
The yacht carried us to the shores of Spain, and before the sun went down a thick fog spread, the storms blew, and the sea went mad; everyone took refuge in the cabins, fleeing nature's wrath. Though I love the sea, I could not hold out, and threw myself upon my bed, exhausted, praying that we would reach any shelter at all; and I do not know what would have become of us had the Prince not gathered his strength and summoned a vessel that carried us to the nearest port, where we waited for the storm to subside... 'Posy' and I were persuaded that he was the savior of our lives.
The voyage home went very happily, and we passed the following days between merriment, eating, and rest, and visits to the neighboring harbors... From time to time I would find myself sitting beside the Prince on the deck of the yacht,
We passed our time swimming