Of course, I do not fear him in the least for myself."
"You want to keep the child?"
"Naturally, as I carried it off."
"And still more because you had the best right to it, whatever the
Court might direct. You are its mother."
Again she blushed and smiled, rather comically. "I certainly shall not
surrender it to Lord Blackadder, not without a struggle. Yet he is
very near getting it now."
"In there?" I nodded towards the next room. "It is a close thing. How
are you to manage it?"
"There would not have been the slightest difficulty; it was all but
done, and then some one, something, failed me. I expected too much
perhaps, but I have been bitterly disappointed, and the danger has
revived."
"Come, come, Lady Blackadder, keep up your courage. Let us take
counsel together. We can surely devise some fresh plan. Don't give way
now; you have been so plucky all through. Be brave still."
"Thank you, Colonel Annesley, I will." She put out her hand with
enchanting frankness, her fine eyes shining gratefully. A man would
have dared much, endured much, to win such gracious approval.
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