"But Mistress Mortimer," I interrupted, "is her family also from this
neighborhood?"

"To the northeast of here, near Locust Grove; the properties of the two
families adjoin each other, an' I have heard there is distant kinship
between them, although if that be true all that was good in the strain
must have descended to the one branch, an' all the evil to the other. Day
and night could be no different. Colonel Mortimer is a genial, pleasant
gentleman, an' a loyal friend, although we are in arms against each
other. To tell the truth I half believe his heart is with the Colonies,
although he cast his fortunes with the King. He even has a son in the
Continental Army."

"On Lee's staff," I interrupted. "The daughter told me he was a twin
brother."

"Yes, an' as great a rogue as the girl, with the same laughing blue
eyes."

"And Mistress Claire," I questioned, "on which side is she?"

"Can you ask that after having met her as a Lady of the Blended Rose?
Pshaw, man, I could almost give you a list of the loyalist dames who make
sport for the British garrison, an' Mistress Claire is not least in rank
or beauty among them. What else could you expect of a young girl when her
father wears the green an' white, while her lover has made a reputation
hereabout with his hireling raiders?"

"You mean Grant?"