"
"Come in, come in, sir," entreated Betty, seeing how fearfully pale
he grew. "What has befallen you, and where is my sister?"
"Would that I knew! I trusted to have found her here; but now, sir,
you will come with me and find her!"
"I do not understand you, sir," said the Major severely, "nor how you
are concerned in the matter. My daughter is the wife of your uncle,
Mr. Belamour, and if, as I fear, you bear the marks of a duel in
consequence of any levity towards her, I shall not find it easy to
forgive."
"On my word and honour it is no such thing," said the youth, raising
a face full of frank innocence: "Your daughter is my wife, my most
dear and precious wife, with full consent and knowledge of my uncle.
I was married to her in his clothes, in the darkened room, our names
being the same!"
"Was this your promise?" Betty exclaimed.
"Miss Delavie, to the best of my ability I have kept my promise.
Your sister has never seen me, nor to her knowledge spoken with me."
"These are riddles, young man," said the Major sternly. "If all
be not well with my innocent child, I shall know how to demand an
account."
"Sir," said the youth: "I swear to you that she is the same innocent
maiden as when she left you. Oh!" he added with a gesture of earnest
entreaty, "blame me as you will, only trace her.
Pages:
256
257
258
259
260
261
262
263
264
265
266
267
268
269
270
271
272
273
274
275
276
277
278
279
280