“You forget that I also speak for my nephew Oswald,” said Lady Charlotte.
“But do you?” said Aunt Phyllis, with almost obtruded incredulity.
“Certainly,” said Lady Charlotte, with a sweeping, triumphant gesture, a conclusive waving of the head.
“You know he is on his way back from Uganda?” Aunt Phyllis remarked with an unreal innocence.
Lady Charlotte had not known. But she stood up gallantly to the blow. “I know he will support me by insisting upon the proper treatment of these poor children.”
“What can a man know about the little souls of children?” cried Phœbe.
But Aunt Phyllis restrained her. “I have no doubt Mr. Sydenham will have his own views in the matter,” said Phyllis.
“I have no doubt he will,” said Lady Charlotte imposingly....
Even Mary showed the same disposition to insolence. As Lady Charlotte was returning along the little path through the bushes that ran up to the high road where her carriage with the white horse waited, she saw Mary and the children approaching. Peter saw Lady Charlotte first and flew back. “Lady wiv de Whisker!” he said earnestly and breathlessly, and dodged off into the bushes. Joan hesitated, and fled after him. By a detour the fluttering little figures outflanked the great lady and escaped homeward.
“Come here, children!” she cried. “I want you.”