He had, he said,
already learned through her to know Miss Delavie, and he declared
that the voices of the sisters were so much alike that he could have
believed himself at Bowstead with the gentle visitor who had brought
him new life.
The tidings of Lady Arabella's secret were eagerly listened to, and
the token of the mouse-coloured hair was accepted; Sir Amyas comparing,
to every one's satisfaction, a certain lock that he bore on a chain
next his heart, and a little knot, surrounded with diamonds, in a
ring, which he had been still wearing from force of habit, though he
declared he should never endure to do so again.
It was evident that Lady Belle had really seen Aurelia; and where
could that have been save at the famous boarding-school in Queen's
Square, where the daughters of "the great" were trained in the
accomplishments of the day? The Major, with rising hopes, declared
that he had always maintained that his cousin meant no ill by his
daughter, and though it had been cruel, not to say worse, in her,
to deny all knowledge of the fugitive, yet women would have their
strange ways.
"That is very hard on us women, sir," said Betty.
"Ah! my dear, poor Urania never had such a mother as you, and she has
lived in the great world besides, and that's a bad school.
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