"Yes, paramount over brotherly feeling and all that sort of thing.
I say that it is more than hard that you should be against me,
considering the special circumstances and the manner in which
I have kept my own counsel——"
"You will take a fifth share, or nothing, George," said Mr. Sheldon, with a threatening contraction of his black brows. "If I have any difficulty in arranging matters with you, I will go into this affair myself, and carry it through without your help."
"That I defy you to do."
"You had better not defy me."
"Pray how much do you expect to get out of Miss Halliday's fortune?" demanded the aggravated George.
"That is my business," answered Philip. "And now we had better go into the drawing-room for our tea. O, by the bye, George," he added, carelessly, "as Miss Halliday is quite a child in all business matters, she had better be treated like a child. I shall tell her that she has a claim to a certain sum of money; but I shall not tell her what sum. Her disappointment will be less in the event of a failure, if her expectations are not large."
"You are always so considerate, my dear Phil," said George, with a malignant grin. "May I ask how it is you have taken it into your head to play the benevolent father in the matter of Valentine Hawkehurst and Miss Halliday?"
"What can it signify to me whom my stepdaughter marries?" asked Philip, coolly. "Of course I wish her well; but I will not have the responsibility of controlling her choice. If this young man suits her, let her marry him."
"Especially when he happens to suit you so remarkably well. I think I can understand your tactics, Phil."
"You must understand or misunderstand me, just as you please. And now come to tea."