第105章

Annestarted；andturningroundfromthewindow，lookedathiminsilentsurprise。Hewasundertheinfluenceofstrongemotion；

hisface，hisvoice，hismanner，allshowedit。

“HowlonghadyoubeeninScotland，whenyouwrotethis？“HepointedtoAnne’sletterasheaskedthequestion，puttingitsoeagerlythathestammeredoverthefirstwords。“Morethanthreeweeks？“headded，withhisbrightblackeyesfixedinabsorbinginterestonherface。

“Yes。“

“Areyousureofthat？“

“Iamcertainofit。“

“Youcanrefertopersonswhohaveseenyou？“

“Easily。“

Heturnedthesheetofnote-paper，andpointedtoGeoffrey’spenciledletteronthefourthpage。

“Howlonghad_he_beeninScotland，when_he_wrotethis？Morethanthreeweeks，too？“

Anneconsideredforamoment。

“ForGod’ssake，becareful!“saidSirPatrick。“Youdon’tknowwhatdependsonthis，Ifyourmemoryisnotclearaboutit，sayso。“

“Mymemorywasconfusedforamoment。Itisclearagainnow。Hehadbeenathisbrother’sinPerthshirethreeweeksbeforehewrotethat。AndbeforehewenttoSwanhaven，hespentthreeorfourdaysinthevalleyoftheEsk。“

“Areyousureagain？“

“Quitesure!“

“DoyouknowofanyonewhosawhiminthevalleyoftheEsk？“

“Iknowofapersonwhotookanotetohim，fromme。“

“Apersoneasilyfound？“

“Quiteeasily。“

SirPatricklaidasidetheletter，andseizedinungovernableagitationonbothherhands。

“Listentome，“hesaid。“ThewholeconspiracyagainstArnoldBrinkworthandyoufallstothegroundbeforethatcorrespondence。Whenyouandhemetattheinn——“

Hepaused，andlookedather。Herhandswerebeginningtotrembleinhis。

“WhenyouandArnoldBrinkworthmetattheinn，“heresumed，“thelawofScotlandhadmadeyouamarriedwoman。Ontheday，andatthehour，whenhewrotethoselinesatthebackofyourlettertohim，youwere_GeoffreyDelamayn’sweddedwife!_“

Hestopped，andlookedatheragain。

Withoutawordinreply，withouttheslightestmovementinherfromheadtofoot，shelookedbackathim。Theblankstillnessofhorrorwasinherface。Thedeadlycoldofhorrorwasinherhands。

Insilence，onhisside，SirPatrickdrewbackastep，withafaintreflectionof_her_dismayinhisface。Married——tothevillainwhohadnothesitatedtocalumniatethewomanwhomhehadruined，andthentocastherhelplessontheworld。Married——tothetraitorwhohadnotshrunkfrombetrayingArnold’strustinhim，anddesolatingArnold’shome。Married——totheruffianwhowouldhavestruckherthatmorning，ifthehandsofhisownfriendshadnotheldhimback。AndSirPatrickhadneverthoughtofit!AbsorbedintheoneideaofBlanche’sfuture，hehadneverthoughtofit，tillthathorror-strickenfacelookedathim，andsaid，Thinkof_my_future，too!

Hecamebacktoher。Hetookhercoldhandoncemoreinhis。

“Forgiveme，“hesaid，“forthinkingfirstofBlanche。“

Blanche’snameseemedtorouseher。Thelifecamebacktoherface；thetenderbrightnessbegantoshineagaininhereyes。Hesawthathemightventuretospeakmoreplainlystill：hewenton。

“Iseethedreadfulsacrificeas_you_seeit。Iaskmyself，haveIanyright，hasBlancheanyright——“

Shestoppedhimbyafaintpressureofhishand。

“Yes，“shesaid，softly，“ifBlanche’shappinessdependsonit。“

ASOLITARYforeigner，driftingaboutLondon，driftedtowardFulhamonthedayoftheFoot-Race。

Littl