"I have, however, found a clue, or what may so prove," said Mr.
Belamour, when the greetings had passed. "I have discovered how our
fugitive passed the early part of the Sunday;" and he related how he
had elicited from the Mistresses Treforth that they had seen her and
driven her away with contumely.
Sir Amyas and the Major were not sparing of interjections, and the
former hoped that his uncle had told them what they deserved.
"Thereby only incurring the more compassion," said Mr. Belamour,
dryly, and going on to say that he had extended his inquires to
Sedhurst, and had heard of her visit to Dame Wheatfield; also,
that the good woman, going to seek her at the church, had found
only the basket with the guineas in the paper. She had regarded
this merely as a wrapper, and, being unable to read, had never
noticed the writing, but she had fortunately preserved it, and
Mr. Belamour thus learnt Aurelia's intention of throwing herself
on Lady Belamour's mercy.
"My mother utterly denied all knowledge of her, when I cried out
in anguish when she came to see me!" said Sir Amyas.
"So she does to Hargrave, whom she sent off to interrogate Mrs.
Arden," said Mr. Belamour.
"Have you any reason to think the child could have reached my Lady?"
inquired Betty, seeing that none of the gentlemen regarded my Lady's
denials as making any difference to their belief, though not one of
them chose to say so.
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