"You will enable me to escape?" she asked.
He took her hand—and, this time, it was not withdrawn.
"I will do my best," he said; "but, it's a fierce risk for me. If detected, it would mean, at the very least, a year's banishment."
She smiled.
"It would mean something more than that if I told my story," she said.
"I'm doing it for you; not from fear of the story," he said softly.
"It's nicer, that way, isn't it?" she asked.
He put his arm around her—and she let him kiss her, once. Then, she drew away.
"Sit down and let us talk it over," she said.
The King got up suddenly.