“Then when I saw you,” Rudolf went on, “I thanked my lucky stars that I was of no political importance. I thought it might be difficult to get permission to marry you because I would have to obtain my father’s consent, but I knew that I would fight to do so with every weapon in my power.”
He paused before he added very movingly,
“If I was still refused permission, I had already made up my mind that I would denounce my rank and leave Leothia to live somewhere else in the world. And that, Zorina, is how much I love you.”
Again he hesitated before he asked her,
“Would you have come with me?”
Zorina did not hesitate.
“You – know I would have – done so,” she answered, “and it is just – what I would – like to do now.”
“Don’t say that,” Rudolf cried, “for God’s sake, don’t say that!”
He l
