"Why not entrust to his care the Lady Hellayne?"
The devilish suggestion seemed to find not as enthusiastic a reception as she had anticipated.
"After having seen the Lady Theodora," Basil said, his eyes avoiding those of the woman, "I fear the Lady Hellayne will appear poor in Hassan Abdullah's eyes."
Theodora had grown pensive.
"I do not think so. To me she seemed like a snow-capped volcano. All ice without, all fire within. Perchance I should bow to your better judgment, my lord, and perchance to Hassan Abdullah's, whose good taste in preferring the Lady Theodora cannot be gainsaid. But, our guests are becoming impatient. Take me to the palace."
Basil barred the woman's way.
"And when you have reached the summit of your desire, will you remember certain nuptials consummated in a certain chamber in the Emperor's Tomb, between two placed as we are and mated as we?"
Theodora's lips curved in one of those rare smiles which brought him to whom she gave it to her feet, her abject slave.
"I shall remember, my lord," she said, and, linking her arm in his, they strode towards the palace.