but your personal opinion of the boy himself, Maurice. You will say he is a child. And I will respond that the child is father to the man. Tell me about the man Photius.”
For just a moment, Khusrau’s imperial manner faltered. “The girl is very dear to me, you see. I would not wish to see her abused.”
Maurice groped for words. Hesitated; vacillated; jittered back and forth in his mind. He was floundering in waters much too deep for him. Imperial waters, for the sake of Christ!
Then, as his eyes roamed about, they happened to meet those of Tahmina. Shy eyes. Uncertain eyes.
Fearful eyes.
That, Maurice understood.
He took a deep breath. When he spoke, his voice had more in it than usual of the Thracian accent of his peasant upbringing. “A good lad, he is, Your Majesty. A sweet-tempered boy. Not nasty-spirited in the least. Bright, too, I think. It’s a bit early to tell yet, of course. Precocious lads—which he is—sometimes fritter it all away as they
For just a moment, Khusrau’s imperial manner faltered. “The girl is very dear to me, you see. I would not wish to see her abused.”
Maurice groped for words. Hesitated; vacillated; jittered back and forth in his mind. He was floundering in waters much too deep for him. Imperial waters, for the sake of Christ!
Then, as his eyes roamed about, they happened to meet those of Tahmina. Shy eyes. Uncertain eyes.
Fearful eyes.
That, Maurice understood.
He took a deep breath. When he spoke, his voice had more in it than usual of the Thracian accent of his peasant upbringing. “A good lad, he is, Your Majesty. A sweet-tempered boy. Not nasty-spirited in the least. Bright, too, I think. It’s a bit early to tell yet, of course. Precocious lads—which he is—sometimes fritter it all away as they