“Yes, Highness.”
“He will have told the Princess himself,” remarked William. “Being by now recovered of his sickness,” he added dryly.
“Shall I see if M. Van Odyk hath returned?” asked Mr. Bromley.
“Bring him here,” commanded William briefly.
The Englishman returned in the dark to his room, and reached it as M. Van Odyk appeared at the door.
“The Prince is awake and will see you—but he was not over pleased to be roused.”
“The matter is important,” answered M. Van Odyk.
Mr. Bromley had no more to say. William Van Odyk, rich, a connection of the House of Orange, clever, son of the man who was once the most trusted adviser of the Prince’s mother, had perhaps as much of William of Orange’s confidence as he ever bestowed on any one; for those placed about the Prince were not of his own choosing, he had always been too restricted to be able to find advisers or confidants. His grandmother he had never forgiven for her overtures to the republican party, and such men as he had given his rare friendship to, Cornelius Triglandt, the Lord of Zuylestein, and William Bentinck, had been removed from him by M. de Witt.
The few who had followed him to Middelburg he tolerated. He had no great trust in them, but relied on his own genius for command to make these, or any others, subservient to him.