When the princess woke, she was lying on one of her couches with a soft blanket draped over her. I sat on the floor by her side. Half the basket of pastries was gone, though if she paid any attention to the way I was licking my fingers, it would not be hard to figure out to where.

"Eve?" she asked, "is that you?"

"You remember me, princess? I'm touched." I really was. Over the last half hour, I had ruminated constantly on the scare I must have caused her, appearing in her ...