““Xenia was still laughing at us when her brother walked over. "Georgi, do you remember when Katerina Alexandrovna and Dariya Yevgenienva brought the kitten to the ball?" I hadn't noticed the grand duke approaching. Dariya curtsied prettily. "Katiya's mother wouldn't let us play together anymore after that." "I thought your mother disallowed it," I said, surprised. "Both mothers were very wise," George Alexandrovich said, his lips pressed tightly together, almost as if he was trying not to smile. "You two are an extremely dangerous duo." "Nonsense." Dariya smiled. "Nothing bad has happened tonight." The grand duke was looking straight at me when he said, "But the night is young.””
