"It is not Jonathan, after all," he said.
"How vexing!" said Tess.
The packet had been brought by a special messenger, who had arrived
at Talbothays from Emminster Vicarage immediately after the departure
of the married couple, and had followed them hither, being under
injunction to deliver it into nobody's hands but theirs. Clare
brought it to the light. It was less than a foot long, sewed up in
canvas, sealed in red wax with his father's seal, and directed in his
father's hand to "Mrs Angel Clare."
"It is a little wedding-present for you, Tess," said he, handing it
to her. "How thoughtful they are!"
Tess looked a little flustered as she took it.
"I think I would rather have you open it, dearest," said she, turning
over the parcel. "I don't like to break those great seals; they look
so serious. Please open it for me!"
He undid the parcel. Inside was a case of morocco leather, on the
top of which lay a note and a key.
The note was for Clare, in the following words:
MY DEAR SON--
Possibly you have forgotten that on the death of your
godmother, Mrs Pitney, when you were a lad, she--vain,
kind woman that she was--left to me a portion of the
contents of her jewel-case in trust for your wife, if
you should ever have one, as a mark of her affection
for you and whomsoever you should choose.
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