“Poor old man! How nice it will be if Janni really is his grandson,” said Zoe.
“Will it?” asked her husband. “In that case Janni would also be the son of Prince Romanos, you must remember, and we should find ourselves in a dilemma between them.”
“Why, Maurice!” cried Zoe, rising to greet her brother. “Have you come to breakfast? Do sit here.”
“No, thanks; I have breakfasted. Is there any news from Pazzi? Here is Romanos writing to declare himself the most unfortunate and worst treated man in the world, and casting himself upon us for advice and help. He is coming here privately, and is due to arrive to-day. The queer thing is that he is bringing Panagiotis with him.”
“Had he got your letter about Janni?” asked Wylie quickly.
“Evidently not. I didn’t mention Janni, you know—put it very carefully, that circumstances had come to our knowledge intimately connected with his private affairs, and it was possible we might be able to throw some light on them—but he makes no allusion to it. Besides, he must have started before it could have arrived.”
“Well, Pazzi is on his way here, and is also due to-day.”
“You don’t think they are travelling together? No, one of them would surely have mentioned it. And where does the Professor come in?”
“I should say he is at his favourite game—acting as friend of both parties. He and Romanos have discovered that Pazzi is on his way here, and they are afraid of revelations. So they are coming too.”
“Which party will get here first?—or will they arrive together? Well, I suppose we shall get some light now on many things. Zoe, I think it would be well not to tell Kalliopé who is coming.”