He is raving. And you should never leave me,
indeed you should not, miss, if you slipped out after me in Deb's
muffler--and we'd go to the Fleet. I have got a cousin there, poor
fellow--he is always in trouble, but he is a real true parson
notwithstanding, and I'd never leave your side till the knot was
tied fast. Then you would laugh at my lady, and be one of the first
ladies in the land, for my Lord Aresfield is half a fool, and can't
live long, and when you are a countess you will remember your poor
Loveday."
"Let me go. You have said too much to a married woman," said Aurelia,
and as the maid began the old demonstrations of the invalidity of the
marriage, and the folly of adhering to it when nobody knew where his
honour was gone, she said resolutely, "I shall write to Lady Belamour
to send me a more trustworthy messenger."
On this Loveday fairly fell on the floor, grovelling in her wild
entreaty that my Lady might hear nothing of this, declaring that
it was not so much for the sake of the consequences to herself as
to the young lady, for there was no guessing what my lady might not
be capable of if she guessed at Colonel Mar's admiration of her
prisoner. Aurelia, frightened at her violence, finally promised
not to appeal to her ladyship as long as Loveday abstained from
transmitting his messages, but on the least attempt on her part
to refer to him, a complaint should certainly be made to my lady.
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