Seating himself on the edge of the bed, he slipped an arm around her.
"Come, drink this up," he said authoritatively; "then, when you've had a good sleep, you can tell me all your adventures."
"I daren't go to sleep," she sobbed, "for fear I should wake up in hell!"
He drew the golden head on his shoulder with a soothing, protective touch.
"I'll stay with you and see that doesn't happen," he said tenderly.
At the promise, Pansy drank the proffered draught. Then she lay back among the pillows.
He held the empty glass towards the Arab woman. She took it, and would have gone from the room, as she was accustomed to going when the Sultan pleased to linger with any one of his slave girls; but his voice stopped her.
"There's no need to go, Sara," he said.
Then he stayed, smiling down at the worn little face on the pillows, until the wild blue eyes closed in drugged slumber.
Afterwards he sat watching Pansy in a calculating manner.