“Who have?  For pity’s sake tell me, Lady Belle!”

Loving to tease, she exclaimed:  “There, now, what a work to make about a white-faced little rustic!”

“Your ladyship has not seen her.”

“Have I not, though?  I don’t admire your taste.”

“Is she in Queen’s Square?”

“Do not you wish me to tell you where you can find your old faded doll, with a waist just like a wasp, and an old blue sacque—­not a bit of powder in her hair?”

“Lady Belle, if you would have me for ever beholden to you—–­”

“The cap fits,” she cried, clapping her hands.  “Not a word to say for her!  I would not have such a beau for the world.”

“When I have found her it will be time to defend her beauty!  If your ladyship would only tell me where she is, you know not what gratitude I should feel!”

“I dare say, but that’s my secret.  My mamma and yours would be ready to kill me with rage if they knew I had let out even so much.”

“They would forgive you.  Come, Lady Belle, think of her brave old father, and give some clue to finding her.  Where is she?”

“Ah! where you will never get at her!”

“Is she at Queen’s Square?”

“What would you do if you thought she was?  Get a constable and come and search?  Oh, what a rage Madam would be in!  Goodness me, what sport!” and she fell back in a violent giggling fit; but the two matrons were so delighted to see the young people talking to one another, that there was no attempt to repress her.  Sir Amyas made another attempt to elicit whether Aurelia were really at the school in Queen’s Square, but Lady Arabella still refused to answer directly.  Then he tried the expedient of declaring that she was only trying to tease him, and had not really seen the lady.  He pretended not to believe her, but when she insisted, “Hair just the colour of Lady Belamour’s,” his incredulity vanished; but on his next entreaty, she put on a sly look imitated from the evil world in which she lived, and declared she should not encourage naughty doings.  The youth, who though four years older, was by far the more simple and innocent of the two, replied with great gravity, “It is the Lady Belamour, my own wife, that I am seeking.”

“That’s just the nonsense she talks!”

“For Heaven’s sake, what did she say?”

But Belle was tired of her game, and threw herself boisterously on a young lady who had the “sweetest enamel necklace in the world,” and whose ornaments she began to handle and admire in true spoilt-child fashion.

Sir Amyas then betook himself to the Major, who saw at once by his eye and step that something was gained.  They took leave together, Lady Belamour making a hurried lamentation that she had seen so little of her dear cousin, but accepting her son’s excuse that he must return to his quarters; and they walked away together escorted by Palmer and Grey, as well as by two link-boys, summer night though it was.