Geoffrey descended the house steps and lit his pipe.  He was not at the slightest loss, on this occasion, to account for what had happened.  He assumed at once that Arnold had taken a mean revenge on him after his conduct of the day before, and had told the whole secret of his errand at Craig Fernie to Blanche.  The thing would get next, no doubt, to Sir Patrick’s ears; and Sir Patrick would thereupon be probably the first person who revealed to Arnold the position in which he had placed himself with Anne.  All right!  Sir Patrick would be an excellent witness to appeal to, when the scandal broke out, and when the time came for repudiating Anne’s claim on him as the barefaced imposture of a woman who was married already to another man.  He puffed away unconcernedly at his pipe, and started, at his swinging, steady pace, for his brother’s house.

Blanche remained alone in the morning-room.  The prospect of getting at the truth, by means of what Geoffrey might say on the next occasion when he consulted Sir Patrick, was a prospect that she herself had closed from that moment.  She sat down in despair by the window.  It commanded a view of the little side-terrace which had been Anne’s favorite walk at Windygates.  With weary eyes and aching heart the poor child looked at the familiar place; and asked herself, with the bitter repentance that comes too late, if she had destroyed the last chance of finding Anne!

She sat passively at the window, while the hours of the morning wore on, until the postman came.  Before the servant could take the letter bag she was in the hall to receive it.  Was it possible to hope that the bag had brought tidings of Anne?  She sorted the letters; and lighted suddenly on a letter to herself.  It bore the Kirkandrew postmark, and It was addressed to her in Anne’s handwriting.

She tore the letter open, and read these lines: 

“I have left you forever, Blanche.  God bless and reward you!  God make you a happy woman in all your life to come!  Cruel as you will think me, love, I have never been so truly your sister as I am now.  I can only tell you this—­I can never tell you more.  Forgive me, and forget me, our lives are parted lives from this day.”

Going down to breakfast about his usual hour, Sir Patrick missed Blanche, whom he was accustomed to see waiting for him at the table at that time.  The room was empty; the other members of the household having all finished their morning meal.  Sir Patrick disliked breakfasting alone.  He sent Duncan with a message, to be given to Blanche’s maid.

The maid appeared in due time Miss Lundie was unable to leave her room.  She sent a letter to her uncle, with her love—­and begged he would read it.

Sir Patrick opened the letter and saw what Anne had written to Blanche.