She was quite as angry with herself, as with my Lady, for
having lost her temper, and so given her enemy an advantage, more
especially as when her distress became less agitating, her natural
shrewdness began to guess that the hint about scandal was the pure
fruit of Lady Belamour's invention, as an expedient for obtaining
her consent. Yet the mere breath of such a possibility of evil
speaking was horror to her, and she even revolved the question of
going herself to Bowstead to rescue her sister. But even if the
journey had been more possible, her father was in no condition to
be left to Harriet's care, and there was nothing to be done except
to wait till he could again attend to the matter, calm herself as
best she could, so as not to alarm him, and intercept all dangerous
messages.
Several days had passed, and though the Major had not left his bed,
he had asked whether more had been heard from my Lady, and discussed
the subject with his daughter, when a letter arrived in due course of
post. It was written in a large bold hand, and the signature, across
a crease in the paper, was in the irregular characters that the Major
recognised as those of Mr. Belamour.
"DEAR AND HONOURED SIR,
"Proposals have been made to you on my Behalf for the Hand of your
fair and amiable Daughter, Miss Aurelia Delavie.
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