“Domiloff has courage, I believe, of a sort,” she answered, “but not enough to bring him uninvited across the threshold of this house in my brother’s absence.”
He followed the servant from the room, and was shown into a bedchamber of huge proportions. He changed his clothes as quickly as possible for those which were tendered to him, and returned to the room where he had left the Countess. She welcomed him with a smile which she tried in vain to suppress.
“You must forgive me,” she said, as their eyes met. “Indeed, it is hard to avoid a smile. My brother is of slight stature, and you are very tall,—is it not so?”
“Oh, I don’t mind,” he answered, good-humouredly, conscious that his trousers terminated at the ankle, and that the seams of his unbuttoned coat were bursting. “I should be comfortable in anything since I have got rid of that sword and the other thing like a satchel which kept tripping me up. The management of a woman’s train has always seemed to me an accomplishment, but it is nothing compared with the difficulty of walking like a soldier with those things whacking at your ankles every few moments. One thing I can promise you and myself, Countess. If Domiloff and the whole lot of them catch me nothing would induce me to put on that uniform again.”
“It was very becoming,” she said, smilingly.
“You are making fun of me,” he declared, reproachfully.
“Indeed I meant it,” she assured him. “I never doubted but that you were Ughtred of Tyrnaus!”
He felt absurdly pleased. There was a note of regret too in her tone. Then, as though with some effort she addressed him more formally.
“You need have no fear,” she said, “that Domiloff will find you here. Neither he nor any of his creatures dare force their way into this house. All that we must pray for now is the speedy coming of Nicholas and the Prince.”