He thrust her in, waved aside Loveday’s excuses about her ladyship not being denied, and stood with his back to the door as she bounced shrieking against it from within.

“I fear this little devil has hurt you, madam,” he said.

“Not at all, I thank you, sire.” said Aurelia, though one side of her face still tingled.

“She made at you like a little game-cock,” he said.  “I am glad I was in time.  I followed when I found she had slipped away from Lady Belamour’s, knowing that her curiosity is only equalled by her spite.  By Jove, it is well that her nails did not touch that angel face!”

Aurelia could only curtsey and thank him, hoping within herself that Lady Belle would soon recover, and wondering how he had let himself in.  There was something in his manner of examining her with his eyes that made her supremely uncomfortable.  He uttered fashionable expletives of admiration under his breath, and she turned aside in displeasure, bending down to Fidelia.  He went on, “You must be devilishly moped in this dungeon of a place!  Cannot we contrive something better?”

“Thank you, sir, I have no complaint to make.  Permit me to see whether the Lady Arabella is better.”

“I advise you not.  Those orbs are too soft and sparkling to be exposed to her talons.  ’Pon my honour, I pity young Belamour.  But there is no help for it, and such charms ought not to be wasted in solitude on his account.  These young lads are as fickle as the weather-cock, and have half-a-dozen fancies in as many weeks.  Come now, make me your friend, and we will hit on some device for delivering the enchanted princess from her durance vile.”

“Thank you, sir, I promised Lady Belamour to make no attempt to escape.”

At that moment out burst Lady Belle, shouting with laughter:  “Ho! ho!  Have I caught you, brother, gallanting away with Miss?  What will my lady say?  Pretty doings!”

She had no time for more.  Her brother fiercely laid hold of her, and bore her away with a peremptory violence that she could not resist, and only turning at the hall door to make one magnificent bow.

Loveday was obliged to follow, and the children were left clinging to Aurelia and declaring that the dreadful young lady was as bad as the lions; while Aurelia, glowing with shame and resentment at what she felt as insults, had a misgiving that her protector had been the worse lion of the two.

She had no explanation of the invasion till the next morning, when Loveday appeared full of excuses and apologies.  From the fact of Lady Aresfield’s carriage having been used on Aurelia’s arrival, her imprisonment was known, and Lady Belle, spending a holiday at Lady Belamour’s, had besieged Loveday with entreaties to take her to see her rival.  As the waiting-woman said, for fear of the young lady’s violent temper, but more probably in consideration of her bribes, she had yielded, hoping that Lady Belle