old man's darling for a few years, she may be free in her prime, with
an honourable name and fortune."

"I dare say. As if one could not see through the entire design. My
Lady would call her sister-in-law to prevent her being daughter-in-law!"

"That fancy has had no aliment, and must long ago have died out."

"Listen to Nurse Dove on that matter."

"Women love to foster notions of that sort."

"Nay, sir, you believe, as I do, that the poor child was conveyed to
Bowstead in order that the youth might lose sight of her, and since he
proves refractory to the match intended for him, this further device
is found for destroying any possible hope on his part."

"I cannot say what may actuate my Lady, but if Amyas Belamour be the
man I knew, and as the child's own letters paint him, he is not like
to lend himself to any such arrangement."

"Comes the offer from him, or is it only a scheme of my Lady's?"

"He never writes more than a signature, but Hargrave is empowered to
make proposals to me, very handsome proposals too, were not the bare
idea intolerable."

"Aurelia is not aware of it, I am sure," said Betty, to whom Hargrave
had brought another packet of cheerful innocent despatches, of which,
as usual, the unseen friend in the dark was the hero.