«We?» she questioned him.
«Rodrigo and I. He is at least my friend. He was hastening to you when this thing befell him. That is how we came to be on the same ship.»
«And he desired you to do this?»
«He shall tell you so himself when he arrives. He will be here in a few days, depend on it. As soon as I can ransom him, which will be very soon after my departure. When I was escaping — for, unlike him, I had given no parole — he desired that if I came here, I should claim to be your cousin, so as to stand at need in his place until he comes.»
She was thoughtful, and her bosom rose and fell in agitation. In silence they moved a little way in step.
«You took a foolish risk,» she said, thereby showing her acceptance of his explanation.
«A gentleman,» said he sententiously, «will always take a risk to serve a lady.»
«Were you serving me?»
«Does it seem to you that I could be serving myself?»
«No. You could not have been doing that.»