“Oh, Maurice, of course I will! Oh, what a shame! you have made me promise. But, my dear boy——”
“Maurice!” the curtain at the door was lifted, and Eirene came in, very pale and quiet. “I want to know who is to go with us to-night. They say that the way to Ephestilo is blocked, and that we shall have to go round.”
“Wylie thought Zeko would be the best man to command the escort,” said Maurice, guessing that Wylie was within hearing; “and we shall pick out six of our best men to go with him.”
“It is not enough,” said Eirene imperiously. “I mean, we must have a European. We may come on the Roumis anywhere. You must send Colonel Wylie with us.”
“Of course, the very thing!” said Maurice, with almost too ready acquiescence. “I’ll tell him he is to go.”
“I beg your pardon,” said Wylie, appearing in the doorway; “but I have a voice in the matter, and I am not going. You will find Zeko quite trustworthy, Princess, and he knows the way as well as I do.”
“It is not fitting,” persisted Eirene. “Maurice, I decline to go unless we are properly escorted.”
“Your husband commands here, ma’am,” said Wylie sharply. “If it is his order that you are to go, go you will.”
“Not at all. Are you not teaching me to defy him at this very moment, Colonel Wylie? I can quite believe you are capable of sending me away by force, but I may remind you that if I chose to scream or struggle, all your plans would be betrayed.”
Wylie turned away impatiently. “You may say what you like, ma’am, but I am not going.”