She shrugged: "We are not, I believe, completely unknown." She walked on beside me in silence for a few moments, then:
"I do not wish to convey to you that I am persona grata in Italian court circles."
"But if you are known at court, dear Thusis, how can you be otherwise than welcome there?"
"I am not welcome there."
"That is impossible."
"You adorable boy," she laughed, "I must beg of you to occupy yourself with your own affairs and not continue to occupy yourself with mine."
"That's a heartless snub, Thusis."
"I don't mean it so," she said, her hand tightening impulsively on my arm. "But, Michael dear, I don't wish you to speculate about my affairs. It does no good. Besides, the situation in which I find myself is fearfully complex, and you couldn't help me out of it."
"Perhaps I can, Thusis."
She laughed: "You are delightfully romantic. You almost resemble one of the old time cloak-and-sword lovers of that dear Romance which died so long ago on the printed page as well as in human hearts."