"Excellency, if you will forgive me, it would give trouble at this time. If you will allow me to sleep on the sofa until the weather is fine again. I will make no noise. You have seen—in the morning no one would know it, and I am very well there."
Veronica looked at her and hesitated a moment. In the stillness she heard a soft sound.
"What is that?" she asked quickly.
"It is the cat," answered the maid, peering down below the level of the candle-light.
"It did not sound like the cat," said Veronica, pushing her dark, brown hair back with her slim hand, and looking down over the edge of the bed. "It was more like a footstep," she added, with a little laugh.
But at that moment she caught sight of the Maltese cat's green eyes in shadow. The creature came forward from the door, sprang instantly upon the foot of the bed and lay down, purring, its forepaws doubled under it, and its eyes shut.
"It is a heavy cat," said Elettra, thoughtfully. "It is so fat. One can hear it when it walks across the room."
She scratched its head gently, and it purred more loudly under her hand.
"Excellency, you will allow me to sleep in the dressing-room, just for these days," she said presently.
"Oh yes—if you like," answered Veronica, laying her head down upon the pillow, sleepy again.