TheladappearedinthefrontgardendepartingtoperformhiserrandtoLondon。Geoffreywentwithhimtoopenthegate，andcalledafterhim，ashepassedthroughit，“Don’tforgetthebooks!“
　　The“books？“What“books？“Whowantedthem？TheslightestthingnowrousedAnne’ssuspicion。Forhoursafterwardthebookshauntedhermind。
　　Hesecuredthegateandcamebackagain。HestoppedunderAnne’swindowandcalledtoher。Sheshowedherself。“Whenyouwantairandexercise，“hesaid，“thebackgardenisatyourowndisposal。“Heputthekeyofthegateinhispocketandreturnedtothehouse。
　　AftersomehesitationAnnedecidedontakinghimathisword。Inherstateofsuspense，toremainwithinthefourwallsofthebedroomwasunendurable。Ifsomelurkingsnarelayhidunderthefair-soundingproposalwhichGeoffreyhadmade，itwaslessrepellenttoherboldlytoprovewhatitmightbethantowaitponderingoveritwithhermindinthedark。Sheputonherhatandwentdownintothegarden。Nothinghappenedoutofthecommon。Whereverhewashenevershowedhimself。Shewanderedupanddown，keepingonthesideofthegardenwhichwasfarthestfromthedining-roomwindow。Toawoman，escapefromtheplacewassimplyimpossible。Settingoutofthequestiontheheightofthewalls，theywerearmedatthetopwithathicksettingofjaggedbrokenglass。Asmallback-doorintheendwallintendedprobablyforthegardener’susewasboltedandlocked——thekeyhavingbeentakenout。Therewasnotahousenear。Thelandsofthelocalgrowersofvegetablessurroundedthegardenonallsides。Inthenineteenthcentury，andintheimmediateneighborhoodofagreatmetropolis，Annewasasabsolutelyisolatedfromallcontactwiththehumanityaroundherasifshelayinhergrave。
　　Afterthelapseofhalfanhourthesilencewasbrokenbyanoiseofcarriagewheelsonthepublicroadinfront，andaringatthebell。Annekeptclosetothecottage，attheback；determined，ifachanceoffered，onspeakingtothevisitor，whoeverthevisitormightbe。
　　Sheheardvoicesinthedining-roomthroughtheopenwindow——Geoffrey’svoiceandthevoiceofawoman。Whowasthewoman？NotMrs。Glenarm，surely？Afterawhilethevisitor’svoicewassuddenlyraised。“Whereisshe？“itsaid。“Iwishtoseeher。“Anneinstantlyadvancedtotheback-doorofthehouse——andfoundherselffacetofacewithaladywhowasatotalstrangertoher。
　　“Areyoumyson’swife？“askedthelady。
　　“Iamyourson’sprisoner，“Anneanswered。
　　LadyHolchester’spalefaceturnedpalerstill。ItwasplainthatAnne’sreplyhadconfirmedsomedoubtinthemothersmindwhichhadbeenalreadysuggestedtoitbytheson。
　　“Whatdoyoumean？“sheasked，inawhisper。
　　Geoffrey’sheavyfootstepscrossedthedining-room。Therewasnotimetoexplain。Annewhisperedback，“TellmyfriendswhatIhavetoldyou。“
　　Geoffreyappearedatthedining-roomdoor。
　　“Nameoneofyourfriends，“saidLadyHolchester。
　　“SirPatrickLundie。“
　　Geoffreyheardtheanswer。“WhataboutSirPatrickLundie？“heasked。
　　“IwishtoseeSirPatrickLundie，“saidhismother。“Andyourwifecantellmewheretofindhim。“
　　AnneinstantlyunderstoodthatLadyHolchesterwouldcommunicatewithSirPatrick。ShementionedhisLondonaddress。LadyHolchesterturnedtoleavethecottage。Hersonstoppedher。
　　“Let’ssetthingsstraight，“hesaid，“beforeyougo。Mymother，“
　　hewenton，addressinghimselftoAnne，“don’tthinkthere’smuchchanceforustwooflivingcomfortablytogether。Bearwitnesstothetruth——willyou？WhatdidItellyouatbreakfast-time？
　　Didn’tIsayitshouldbemyendeavortomakeyouagoodhusband？
　　Didn’tIsay——inMrs。Dethridge’spresence——Iwantedtomakeitup？“HewaiteduntilAnnehadansweredintheaffirmative，andthenappealedtohismother。“Well？whatdoyouthinknow？“
　　LadyHolchesterdeclinedtorevealwhatshethought。“Youshallseeme，orhearfromme，thisevening，“shesaidtoAnne。
　　Geoffreyattemptedtorepeathisunansweredquestion。Hismotherlookedathim。Hiseyesinstantlydroppedbeforehers。ShegravelybentherheadtoAnne，anddrewherveil。Hersonfollowedheroutinsilencetothegate。
　　Annereturnedtoherroom，sustainedbythefirstsenseofreliefwhichshehadfeltsincethemorning。“Hismotherisalarmed，“
　　shesaidtoherself。“Achangewillcome。“
　　Achange_was_tocome——withthecomingnight。
　　TOWARDsunset，LadyHolchester’scarriagedrewupbeforethegateofthecottage。
　　Threepersonsoccupiedthecarriage：LadyHolchester，hereldestsonnowLordHolchester，andSirPatrickLundie。
　　“Willyouwaitinthecarriage，SirPatrick？“saidJulius。“Orwillyoucomein？“
　　“Iwillwait。IfIcanbeoftheleastuseto_her，_，sendformeinstantly。Inthemeantimedon’tforgettomakethestipulationwhichIhavesuggested。Itistheonecertainwayofputtingyourbrother’srealfeelinginthismattertothetest。“
　　Theservanthadrungthebellwithoutproducinganyresult。Herangagain。LadyHolchesterputaquestiontoSirPatrick。
　　“IfIhaveanopportunityofspeakingtomyson’swifealone，“
　　shesaid，“haveyouanymessagetogive？“
　　SirPatrickproducedalittlenote。
　　“MayIappealtoyourladyship’skindnesstogiveherthis？“Thegatewasopenedbytheservant-girl，asLadyHolchestertookthenote。“Remember，“reiteratedSirPatrick，earnestly“ifIcanbeofthesmallestservicetoher——don’tthinkofmypositionwithMr。Delamayn。Sendformeatonce。“
　　Juliusandhismotherwereconductedintothedrawing-room。Thegirlinformedthemthathermasterhadgoneupstairstoliedown，andthathewouldbewiththemimmediately。
　　Bothmotherandsonweretooanxioustospeak。Juliuswandereduneasilyabouttheroom。Somebooksattractedhisnoticeonatableinthecorner——fourdirty，greasyvolumes，withaslipofpaperprojectingfromtheleavesofoneofthem，andcontainingthisinscription，“WithMr。Perry’srespects。“Juliusopenedthevolume。ItwastheghastlypopularrecordofCriminalTrialsinEngland，calledtheNewgateCalendar。Juliusshowedittohismother。
　　“Geoffrey’stasteinliterature!“hesaid，withafaintsmile。
　　LadyHolchestersignedtohimtoputthebookback。
　　“YouhaveseenGeoffrey’swifealready——haveyounot？“sheasked。
　　TherewasnocontemptnowinhertonewhenshereferredtoAnne。
　　Theimpressionproducedonherbyhervisittothecottage，earlierintheday，associatedGeoffrey’swifewithfamilyanxietiesofnotrivialkind。ShemightstillforMrs。Glenarm’ssakebeawomantobedisliked——butshewasnolongerawomantobedespised。
　　“IsawherwhenshecametoSwanhaven，“saidJulius。“IagreewithSirPatrickinthinkingheraveryinterestingperson。“
　　“WhatdidSirPatricksaytoyouaboutGeoffreythisafternoon——whileIwasoutoftheroom？“
　　“Onlywhathesaidto_you。_Hethoughttheirpositiontowardeachotherhereaverydeplorableone。Heconsideredthatthereasonswereseriousforourinterferingimmediately。“
　　“SirPatrick’sownopinion，Julius，goesfartherthanthat。“
　　“Hehasnotacknowledgedit，thatIknowof。“
　　“How_can_heacknowledgeit——tous？“
　　Thedooropened，andGeoffreyenteredtheroom。
　　Juliuseyedhimcloselyastheyshookhands。Hiseyeswerebloodshot；hisfacewasflushed；hisutterancewasthick——thelookofhimwasthelookofamanwhohadbeendrinkinghard。
　　“Well？“hesaidtohismother。“Whatbringsyouback？“
　　“Juliushasaproposaltomaketoyou，“LadyHolchesteranswered。
　　“Iapproveofit；andIhavecomewithhim。“
　　Geoffreyturnedtohisbrother。
　　“Whatcanarichmanlikeyouwantwithapoordevillikeme？“heasked。
　　“Iwanttodoyoujustice，Geoffrey——ifyouwillhelpme，bymeetingmehalf-way。Ourmotherhastoldyouaboutthewill？“
　　“I’mnotdownforahalf-pennyinthewill。Iexpectedasmuch。
　　Goon。“
　　“Youarewrong——you_are_downinit。Thereisliberalprovisionmadeforyouinacodicil。Unhappily，myfatherdiedwithoutsigningit。ItisneedlesstosaythatIconsideritbindingonmeforallthat。Iamreadytodoforyouwhatyourfatherwouldhavedoneforyou。AndIonlyaskforoneconcessioninreturn。“