第111章

“Mr。GeoffreyDelamayn。“

“WhenMr。ArnoldBrinkworthcameinhisplaceandsaidwhatwasnecessarytosatisfythescruplesofthelandlady，youunderstoodthathewasactinginyourinterests，frommotivesofkindnessonly，andundertheinstructionsofMr。GeoffreyDelamayn？“

“Iunderstoodthat；andIobjectedasstronglyasIcouldtoMr。

Brinkworthplacinghimselfinafalsepositiononmyaccount。“

“DidyourobjectionproceedfromanyknowledgeoftheScottishlawofmarriage，andofthepositioninwhichthepeculiaritiesofthatlawmightplaceMr。Brinkworth？“

“IhadnoknowledgeoftheScottishlaw。IhadavaguedislikeanddreadofthedeceptionwhichMr。Brinkworthwaspracticingonthepeopleoftheinn。AndIfearedthatitmightleadtosomepossiblemisinterpretationofmeonthepartofapersonwhomI

dearlyloved。“

“Thatpersonbeingmyniece？“

“Yes。“

“YouappealedtoMr。Brinkworth(knowingofhisattachmenttomyniece)，inhername，andforhersake，toleaveyoutoshiftforyourself？“

“Idid。“

“Asagentlemanwhohadgivenhispromisetohelpandprotectalady，intheabsenceofthepersonwhomshehaddependedontojoinher，herefusedtoleaveyoutoshiftbyyourself？“

“Unhappily，herefusedonthataccount。“

“Fromfirsttolast，youwereabsolutelyinnocentoftheslightestintentiontomarryMr。Brinkworth？“

“Ianswer，SirPatrick，asMr。Brinkworthhasanswered。Nosuchthingasthethoughtofmarryinghimeverenteredmyhead。“

“Andthisyousay，onyouroathasaChristianwoman？“

“OnmyoathasaChristianwoman。“

SirPatricklookedroundatBlanche。Herfacewashiddeninherhands。Herstep-motherwasvainlyappealingtohertocomposeherself。

Inthemomentofsilencethatfollowed，Mr。Moyinterferedintheinterestsofhisclient。

“Iwaivemyclaim，SirPatrick，toputanyquestionsonmyside。

Imerelydesiretoremindyou，andtoremindthecompanypresent，thatallthatwehavejustheardismereassertion——onthepartoftwopersonsstronglyinterestedinextricatingthemselvesfromapositionwhichfatallycompromisesthemboth。ThemarriagewhichtheydenyIamnowwaitingtoprove——notbyassertion，onmyside，butbyappealtocompetentwitnesses。“

Afterabriefconsultationwithherownsolicitor，LadyLundiefollowedMr。Moy，instrongerlanguagestill。

“Iwishyoutounderstand，SirPatrick，beforeyouproceedanyfarther，thatIshallremovemystep-daughterfromtheroomifanymoreattemptsaremadetoharrowherfeelingsandmisleadherjudgment。Iwantwordstoexpressmysenseofthismostcruelandunfairwayofconductingtheinq