"He doth not spend 'right royally' who seeketh reward," he answered, smiling down upon her, as he stood before her.
Caterina answered him by quoting the Cyprian proverb, "Assai dimanda che fidelmente serve." (Who hath faithfully served hath made a large demand.)
But he shook his head, still smiling.
"Other than I have done, what true knight would do?" he protested. "There could be no question of reward between us—thou being royal Lady of our Casa Cornaro, and I sworn to thy faithful service—my cousin and Queen. But, if thou wilt grant thy favor——"
He had grown suddenly grave.
"Nay, Aluisi, how may I grant what thou already hast?"
"I thank thee, fair Cousin. See how I trust thy favor to bring thee warning—being so much thine elder—dealing so much more with men than thou—being now of thy Council of the Realm——"
"Doth it need so many words from thee to me to excuse a counsel?—from thee, who gavest me back my child!"
She held out both hands to him impulsively, as a daughter to a father, her beautiful face radiant with gratitude and affection.
He closed the fair hands for a moment in his own, very tenderly. "I should have envied any," he said, "whose fortune it had been to do this thing for thee. My star hath favored me. Heaven keep our little Prince to bless his realm of Cyprus!"