The Widowed Bride — page 187: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

178 THE WIDOWED BRIDE. “But I say you shall!” said Mr. Poynings, a sudden flash - of rage beginning to coruscate from beneath his eyelashes. ‘Il have taken a fancy to marry Lady Blanche Arden—her soft, pretty face pleases my eye, and her rank and title please the common-sense part of me—and you shall give her to me, or *and he hissed out the rest of the sen- tence in slow syllables, watching greedily for their effect. . ‘‘T throw away the scabbard, and there shall be war to the knife between us—yes, Countess of Glenhampton, war to the knife!” She sank back in the chair from which she had momen- tarily risen, pale and shuddering. “You will give her to me?” demanded Poynings, after a moment or two of silence, during which he never lifted his glittering eyes from her face. “T will not!” At this instant Blanche ran into the room, her face radi- ant with innocent gayety. ‘ Mamma,” she cried, *‘l want—but oh, mamma what is the matter ? Are you il” ““No, not ill!” gasped~ Lady Glenhamptcn, the smile for which she strove burning into a mere galvanic contortion of the lips. ‘‘Go away, Blanche; leave me for a little while!” ‘Pray do not leave us on my account, Lady Blanche,” said Mr. Poynings, smoothly. << Perhaps you can deci Je this matter which seems too difficult for your mother to settle!’ _ Lady Glenhampton sprang up, with blazing eyes and a face totally blanched of every vestige of color. ‘‘How dare you speak so to this innocent girl?” she cried, her voice sounding strangely stifled and shrill. “How dare you thus defy me?” ‘Tt is you who are defying me!” he retorted, cowed some- what by her manner, yet insolent still. “Lady Glenhamp- ton, you know encugh of my character to understand what my revenge can be, if [am driven to it. And I swear to you that I will be revenged.” Lady Blanche stood pale and silent, looking from one to the other of the speakers, with eyes dilated anda ania intentness of gaze. ‘‘Mamma,” she cried, grasping her mother’s hand, ca hat Eomicbooks