"
"Nay," said a voice, new to her, "here are your rings, Lady Belamour.
I must trust to your Christian charity to pardon her who caused you
to be stripped of them."
The name of Lady Belamour made her start as that of her enemy, but a
truly familiar tone said, "You need not fear, my kind friend. This
is Mr. Wayland, who, to our great joy, has returned, and has come to
restore your jewels."
"Indeed I am very glad yours is not lost," said Aurelia, not a little
bewildered.
Mr. Wayland said a few words of explanation that his wife's agent at
Greenwich had brought them back to her.
"Pray let me have them," entreated Sir Amyas; "I must put them on
again!"
"Stay," said Major Delavie; "I can have such things done only under
true colours and in the full light of day. The child is scarcely
awake yet, and does not know one from the other! Why neither of you
so much as know the colour of the eyes of the other! Can you tell
me sir?"
"Heavenly," exclaimed the youth, in an ecstatic tone of self-defence,
which set the Major laughing and saying, "My silly maid knows as
little which gentleman put on the ring."
"I do, sir," said Aurelia indignantly; "I know his voice and hand
quite well," and in the impulse she quitted her father's arm and
put both hands into those of her young adorer, saying, "Pray sir,
pardon me, I never thought to hurt you so cruelly.
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