“One more would not make much difference. Zoe might find work for her in the nursery, and the child is about your boy’s age. Make a good playfellow for him.”
“H’m! we had better leave that to Zoe,” remarked the blue-eyed man, with distinct hesitation. “A child from the slums of Therma——”
“Lord,” interposed Danaë tearfully, aware that her case was being discussed, “you will not give me up to him?”
“See, lord,” said Petros, with the air of one conferring a vast benefit, “why not take the girl to serve in your house? She has been taught to work, and a good beating now and then will keep her up to it. If her witness should be needed, I will get a letter written to say so, but I should be glad to let my poor comrade know that she and the child were safely away from the city, and not getting into mischief.”
“We will see,” said Prince Theophanis. “Will you come to Klaustra, Kalliopé, to serve my wife, or my sister, the Lord Glafko’s wife, as they shall decide? You can bring the child with you, of course.”
Danaë bowed her head again at his feet. “Your handmaid could ask no better, lord,” she said.
CHAPTER VI.
THE SPY.
“You understand, then,” said Prince Theophanis to Petros, “that I will take the girl into my service for the present, but that if she is required as a witness, the police have only to let me know, and the Princess will see that she is sent down under proper escort to Therma?”
“The Lady Eirene will hardly thank you for burdening her with such trash, lord,” said Petros, with the familiarity of old acquaintance; “but my poor comrade will kiss the icons for you night and morning, in gratitude for your protection granted to his son. When the matter has been forgotten, he will obtain pardon from the Lord Romanos, and come and claim the child.”
“Ah, by the bye, what has happened to Prince Romanos?” asked the man called Glafko quickly. “He was to join us here at three, and we have waited nearly two hours.”