" And, losing no jot of his haughty
manner, he went over, and with one hand grasping Phil's, laid the
other approvingly on the young man's shoulder.
"What, have we rebels in our own family?" cried Mrs. Faringfield,
whose horror at the fact gave her of a sudden the needful courage.
"Madam, do your sentiments differ from mine?" asked her husband.
"Sir, I am a De Lancey!" she replied, with a chilling haughtiness
almost equal to his own.
Tom, buoyed by his feelings of loyalty above the fear of his father's
displeasure, crossed to his mother, and kissed her; and even Fanny had
the spirit to show defiantly on which side she stood, by nestling to
her mother's side and caressing her head.
"Good, mamma!" cried Margaret. "No one shall make rebels of us!
Understand that, Mr. Philip Winwood!"
Philip, though an ashen hue about the lips showed what was passing in
his heart, tried to take the bitterness from the situation by treating
it playfully. "You see, Mr. Faringfield, if we are indeed rebels
against our king, we are paid by our wives turning rebels against
ourselves."
"You cannot make a joke of it, sir," said Margaret, with a menacing
coldness in her tone. "'Tis little need the king has of _my_
influence, I fancy; he has armies to fight his battles. But there's
one thing does concern me, and that is my visit to London.--But you'll
not deprive me of that, dear, will you, now that you think of it
better?" Her voice had softened as she turned to pleading.
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