resence for three years,
by which time we hoped the violence of our mutual passion would be
abated. He spent the greatest part of it abroad; and at the end of that
period we met with the sincerer joy, from finding we were not deceived
in our hopes. Our attachment was settled into the tenderest friendship;
we forbore even the mention of your name, as it must have reminded us of
our crime; and if Lord Peyton wanted to communicate any thing concerning
you, he did it by letter; avoiding with the extremest delicacy ever to
take notice that any such letters had passed between us; and even in
them he consulted about his child, in the style of a man who was writing
to a person that had no other connection with it than what her
friendship for him must naturally occasion, in a point where he was
interested by the tenderest ties of the most extreme paternal love.

'I have often with pleasure heard you mention his great fondness for you
in your childhood, when he visited at your father's; your growing years
increased it, though it obliged him to suppress the appearance of an
affection which you would have thought improper. I need not tell you
that I had the misfortune to lose this worthiest of friends, about half
a year before you came to London, which determined me to send for you,
that I might receive all the consolation the world could give me, and
see the inheritor of her dear father's virtues. While he lived I dared
not have taken the same step; your presence would have been too painful
a testimony against me, and continually reminded my lord of a weakness
which I hope time had almost effaced from his remembrance.'

Miss Selvyn was extremely affected with the perusal of this paper; she
was frequently interrupted by her tears; grieved to the heart to think
of how much uneasiness she had been the cause. As soon as she had
concluded it, she threw herself on her knees at Lady Emilia's bedside,
and taking one of her hands, which she bathed with her tears, 'Is it
possible then,' said she, 'that I have thus long been ignorant of the
best of parents? And must I lose you when so lately found? Oh! my dear
mother, how much pleasure have I lost by not knowing that I might call
you by that endearing name! What an example of virtue have you set me!
How noble your resolution! How uniform and constant your penitence!
Blest you must be supremely by him who loveth the contrite heart; and
you and my father I doubt not will enjoy eternal felicity