"Nay, that cannot be," he denied passionately. "Here you are in danger, Edith. Helena Comnena is your enemy. She hath sworn to me that she will----" Edith smiled in the torchlight--and Hugh wondered why there was contentment in her smile. "She may threaten, Hugh, but she cannot harm me. I am the daughter of the Grand Acolyth." "Be not so sure, lady," intervened Sir James. "The Court is not as it used to be. The adventurers have the upper hand. The Comnenoi are the most powerful family in Constantinople to-day by all we hear. An they mean to injure you, doubt not they will achieve their purpose." "I thank you, fair lord, for your warning," replied Edith with quiet dignity, "but an the danger were so great as you say, still is my place by my father's side. He hath none but me, and certes, the danger is as great to him." Sir James bowed before her. "Right knightly spoken, sweet maid," he said, "Hugh, we may not, with honour, plead further. She hath the right of us." Hugh looked at her sorrowfully. "But how will you regain your apartments from here?" he demanded. She shrugged her shoulders. "There is naught betwixt me and my chamber but dead men. Messer Matteo hath seen to that." "Ay, she will be safe an she goes quickly," agreed Matteo. "There is a privy way from the wing of the Palace over our heads to the Grand Acolyth's apartments." He fumbled at the bars of the door and made ready to swing it open. "With your favour, Sir James, we must make haste." "I follow you." They put their shoulders to the postern-door, and for a brief minute Hugh and Edith stood face to face, alone. His fingers were searching in the breast of his gambeson; her cheeks were pink and her eyes very bright. "Here is your glove," he said. "Wilt have it back, Edith, or am I still your knight?" "Art still my knight, Hugh," she answered steadily. "There is none other--nor ever will be. And for that I wronged you when first we met in the Audience Hall above, I cry your pardon. Hast been true to me as I have been true to you." He raised her hand to his lips and kissed it. The postern-door creaked open behind them. "Prithee, take the torch, lady," said Matteo. "Come, Hugh." She stooped quickly and kissed Hugh fair on the lips. Then, before he could say anything, she pushed him through the postern and the stone-fronted door swung shut. CHAPTER XXIV HOW THE COMRADES RODE TO BLACHERNAE The barons of the host made much of Sir James, and Boniface offered him command of the battalion left leaderless by the illness of Count Louis of Blois. But Sir James declined. "To say truth, fair lord," he explained, "I have a matter of privy vengeance in hand. There is no want of puissant knights in this host, so prithee give the post to some other."