'Just a moment,' I said, looking round wildly and finally shoving the evidence of my packing under the bed. 'Come in.'

 To my surprise it was not Cecily or Louisa, or even Mrs Harper, who opened the door, but Sally. 

 'Sally! What can I do for you?’

 'I thought I should return these to you, my lady,' she said simply, and handed me the pearls. 

 'I don't understand,' I said stupidly, staring at them. 'You took them? Why?'

 'I'm sorry, my lady. I didn't know, till I overheard Mrs Harper talking about it, that his Lordship had bought them just for you.'

 'But what in the world has that got to do with it? Why does it matter?'

 She looked confused. 'Well,...

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