Meantime my mother had visited me, and denied all
knowledge of her, only carrying away my little sisters, I believe
because she found them on either side of my bed, telling me tales
of their dear Cousin Aura's kindness. When my uncle returned to
Bowstead I could bear inaction no longer, and profited by my sick
leave to travel down hither, trusting that she might have found her
way to her home, and longing to confess all and implore your pardon,
sir,--and, alas! Your aid in seeking her."
With the large tears in his eyes, the youth rose from his chair as
he spoke, and knelt on one knee before the Major, who exclaimed,
extremely affected--"By all that is sacred, you have it, my dear
boy. It is a wretched affair, but you meant to act honourably
throughout, and you have suffered heavily. May God bless you both,
and give us back my dear child. My Lady must have been very hard
with her, to make her thus fly, all alone."
"You do not know, I suppose, any cause for so timid a creature
preferring flight to a little restraint?"
"It seems," said Sir Amyas sadly, "that something the dear girl said
gave colour to the charge of having caused the fire, and that my
mother in her first passion threatened her with the constable!"
"My poor Aurelia! that might well scare her," cried Betty: "but how
could it be?"
"They say she spoke of using something her sister had given her to
discover what the mystery was that alarmed her.
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