"Because I claim your gracious protection, my lord
the king. I ask your royal favour."
He lifted her hand to his lips as she rose. "You are--as ever--quite
irresistible, _ma Juliette_," he smiled. "But--do you really contemplate
marrying this fortunate young man? Because there are limits--even to my
generosity. I am not sure that I can permit that."
Her eyes looked straight into his. "You can do--anything you choose to
do, Charles Rex," she said; "except one thing."
He made a grimace at her. "I am king in my own castle anyway," he
observed, watching her. "And you are at my mercy."
"It is your mercy that I am waiting for," she said, a faint smile at the
corners of her lips.
"Ah!" he said, stood a moment longer, contemplating her, then turned
abruptly and flung open the door against which he stood.
It led into a winding passage of such a totally different character
from the stone staircase they had just mounted that Juliet stood gazing
down it for some seconds before she obeyed his mute gesture to pass
through. It was thickly carpeted, deadening all sound, and the walls
were hung with some heavy material, in the colour of old oak.
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