第135章

Shewasstillpursuingthetrainofthoughtthussuggested，whenthegate-bellrang。

Thenoisesinthespareroomsuddenlystopped。

Annelookedout。Theroofofacarriagewasvisibleontheothersideofthewall。SirPatrickandBlanchehadarrived。AfteranintervalHesterDethridgeappearedinthegarden，andwenttothegratinginthegate。AnneheardSirPatrick’svoice，clearandresolute。Everywordhesaidreachedherearsthroughtheopenwindow。

“BesogoodastogivemycardtoMr。Delamayn。SaythatIbringhimamessagefromHolchesterHouse，andthatIcanonlydeliveritatapersonalinterview。“

HesterDethridgereturnedtothecottage。Another，andalongerintervalelapsed。Attheendofthetime，Geoffreyhimselfappearedinthefrontgarden，withthekeyinhishand。Anne’sheartthrobbedfastasshesawhimunlockthegate，andaskedherselfwhatwastofollow。

Toherunutterableastonishment，GeoffreyadmittedSirPatrickwithouttheslightesthesitation——and，morestill，heinvitedBlanchetoleavethecarriageandcomein!

“Letby-gonesbeby-gones，“AnneheardhimsaytoSirPatrick。“I

onlywanttodotherightthing。Ifit’stherightthingforvisitorstocomehere，sosoonaftermyfather’sdeath，come，andwelcome。Myownnotionwas，whenyouproposeditbefore，thatitwaswrong。Iamnotmuchversedinthesethings。Ileaveittoyou。“

“Avisitorwhobringsyoumessagesfromyourmotherandyourbrother，“SirPatrickansweredgravely，“isapersonwhomitisyourdutytoadmit，Mr。Delamayn，underanycircumstances。“

“Andheoughttobenonethelesswelcome，“addedBlanche，“whenheisaccompaniedbyyourwife’soldestanddearestfriend。“

Geoffreylooked，instolidsubmission，fromonetotheother。

“Iamnotmuchversedinthesethings，“herepeated。“Ihavesaidalready，Ileaveittoyou。“

TheywerebythistimecloseunderAnne’swindow。Sheshowedherself。SirPatricktookoffhishat。Blanchekissedherhandwithacryofjoy，andattemptedtoenterthecottage。Geoffreystoppedher——andcalledtohiswifetocomedown。

“No!no!“saidBlanche。“Letmegouptoherinherroom。“

Sheattemptedforthesecondtimetogainthestairs。ForthesecondtimeGeoffreystoppedher。“Don’ttroubleyourself，“hesaid；“sheiscomingdown。“

Annejoinedtheminthefrontgarden。Blancheflewintoherarmsanddevouredherwithkisses。SirPatricktookherhandinsilence。ForthefirsttimeinAnne’sexperienceofhim，thebright，resolute，self-reliantoldmanwas，forthemoment，atalosswhattosay，atalosswhattodo。Hiseyes，restingonherinmutesympathyandinterest，saidplainly，“Inyourhusband’spresenceImustnottrustmyselftospeak。“

Geoffreybrokethesilence。

“Willyougointothedrawing-room？“heasked，lookingwithsteadyattentionathiswifeandBlanche。

Geoffrey’svoiceappearedtorouseSirPatrick。Heraisedhishead——helooke