He was amused at our discomfiture. "Simple enough? Yet really an intricate code in itself. It made the phrasing of the main note a little difficult to compose, that was all." He sat up with his accustomed snap of alertness, and his face turned grim. "Georg will never address his audience. Nor the Princess—she will never appear before those sending mirrors. I have seen to that." Again he was chuckling. "No, no, I could not let them do a thing like that. They might turn people against me."
Elza began indignantly: "You—you are——"
His gesture checked her. "Your brother is quite safe, Lady Elza. And the Princess Maida also. Indeed, they are on the point of falling in love with each other. Natural! And perfectly right. It is as I would have it."
His strong brown fingers were rubbing each other with his satisfaction. "Curious, Lady Elza—how fortunate I am in all my plans."
"I don't think you are," I said. "Our government has you a prisoner here. They didn't withdraw the patrol as you demanded, did they?"
He frowned a trifle. "No. That was too bad. I rather hoped they would. It would have been a stupid thing for them to do—but still, I almost thought they'd do it."
I shook my head. "What they will do is sweep down here and overwhelm you."
"You think so?"
"Yes."
He shifted himself to a more comfortable position. "They are playing for time—so that when I fail to produce the model as I agreed, then the public will realize I am not to be trusted."