I was strictly logical.  I said I had seen Anne, and he hadn’t—­and that made all the difference.  I said, ’Every thing that puzzled and frightened me in the poor darling is accounted for now.  The law must, and shall, reach that man, uncle—­and I’ll pay for it!’ I was so much in earnest that I believe I cried a little.  What do you think the dear old man did?  He took me on his knee and gave me a kiss; and he said, in the nicest way, that he would adopt my view, for the present, if I would promise not to cry any more; and—­wait! the cream of it is to come!—­that he would put the view in quite a new light to me as soon as I was composed again.  You may imagine how soon I dried my eyes, and what a picture of composure I presented in the course of half a minute.  ‘Let us take it for granted,’ says Sir Patrick, ’that this man unknown has really tried to deceive Miss Silvester, as you and I suppose.  I can tell you one thing:  it’s as likely as not that, in trying to overreach her, he may (without in the least suspecting it) have ended in overreaching himself.’”

(Geoffrey held his breath.  The pen dropped unheeded from his fingers.  It was coming.  The light that his brother couldn’t throw on the subject was dawning on it at last!)

Blanche resumed: 

“I was so interested, and it made such a tremendous impression on me, that I haven’t forgotten a word.  ’I mustn’t make that poor little head of yours ache with Scotch law,’ my uncle said; ’I must put it plainly.  There are marriages allowed in Scotland, Blanche, which are called Irregular Marriages—­and very abominable things they are.  But they have this accidental merit in the present case.  It is extremely difficult for a man to pretend to marry in Scotland, and not really to do it.  And it is, on the other hand, extremely easy for a man to drift into marrying in Scotland without feeling the slightest suspicion of having done it himself.’  That was exactly what he said, Arnold.  When we are married, it sha’n’t be in Scotland!”

(Geoffrey’s ruddy color paled.  If this was true he might be caught himself in the trap which he had schemed to set for Anne!  Blanche went on with her narrative.  He waited and listened.)

“My uncle asked me if I understood him so far.  It was as plain as the sun at noonday, of course I understood him!  ’Very well, then—­now for the application!’ says Sir Patrick.  ’Once more supposing our guess to be the right one, Miss Silvester may be making herself very unhappy without any real cause.  If this invisible man at Craig Fernie has actually meddled, I won’t say with marrying her, but only with pretending to make her his wife, and if he has attempted it in Scotland, the chances are nine to one (though he may not believe it, and though she may not believe it) that he has really married her, after all.’  My uncle’s own words again!  Quite needless to say that, half an hour after they were out of his lips, I had sent them to Craig Fernie in a letter to Anne!”