“From your house?”

“No, I was carried past you in a chair which was taking me to the Dolmabahçe Palace.”

He looked at her in surprise and she knew that he did not remember seeing the chair and the deaf mutes.

Then he said,

“There was a house on fire. I was half-afraid that you might have been involved in it.”

She knew he was thinking that the fire might have been caused by those seeking out spies and her eyes met his as she asked,

“Did you suspect my nationality?”

“Not at the time,” he answered, “but afterwards I wondered. The man being lynched by the mob disturbed you so obviously and I could not put a name either to your looks or to your accent.”

He paused and there was a faint smile on his lips as he said,

“It is usually Russians who are so proficient in languages.”

“I thought,” Yamina said after a moment, “as I passed you on your horse I might call out to you and beg you to help me. If I had, what would you have done?”

“Quite frankly, I don’t know!” Lord Castleford replied. “So I am glad you did not ask me then. Now I am obliged to help you. It is impossible for me to refuse.”

“You are obviously not pleased to be in this awkward position.”

“I am going to Athens in the position of British Minister,” Lord Castleford said. “It is not a moment to be confronted with a human problem, which unless very discreetly and carefully handled, may wreck my career.”

“I will not do that to you.”

“Nothing you said or did would be any help, once you were discovered,” Lord Castleford said.

Once again there was a heavy frown between his eyes as he went on,

“I am not so foolish as not to realise that a great number of men would envy me and no one would believe for one moment that I had not invited you to share my cabin.”

“I am as aware of that as you are,” Yamina said, “and that is why we must be exceedingly circumspect. Perhaps it would be best for you not even to tell your valet. Every time he comes into your cabin you can lock me in the trunk.”

“I would trust Jenkins with my life,” Lord Castleford said. “In fact I have often done so. It is essential that he should know, not only because he will bring us food but also, of course, because he must make up the bed on which you have decided I shall sleep.”

Again he spoke scathingly and Yamina said a little hesitantly,

“I am only trying to be – practical about all this. Perhaps it would have been better if I had been – drowned in the Bosporus. Then there would have – been none of this trouble for – you or for me.”