The marriage had been set for the 28th of June, but Lady Heath's sudden
and alarming illness, it was feared, would necessitate a postponement. But
when she began to improve, and the question being submitted to her, she,
having a great fondness for both her nephew and his betrothed, had
insisted that the marriage should proceed. It accordingly took place in
the chapel at Heathdale, Sir William himself giving away the bride, as her
father was not living. So it will readily be seen that there was a
semblance of truth in nearly all that Lady Linton had written to Mrs.
Farnurn.

She had not been quite sure that she would succeed in this part of her
scheme, for it might be that Sir William had mentioned the fact of his
having a cousin by the same name; so she had written her letter in a way
to do no harm in case it did not help her plan. If Virgie did <i>not</i> know,
however, she would readily take it for granted that it was her husband who
had been married on the 28th, while the fact that a long engagement had
existed would seem to prove that he had wilfully deceived her from the
first, and tend to make her believe that her own marriage had been simply
a farce.

Knowing that the certificate was in Sir William's possession, that Mr.
Abbot was dead, and surmising, from their signatures, that two of the
witnesses at least were very ignorant, she hoped, even if Virgie should
have sufficient spirit to assert herself that it would be very difficult
for her to collect proofs of a legal marriage. She knew that she could
bring plenty of evidence to prove the fact that they had lived and
traveled together for several months under the name of Mr. and Mrs. Heath,
but she did not believe that that would count for very much; it would not
be the first time that such a thing had occurred--young men would sow wild
oats occasionally, and though it might wound her pride terribly to have
any scandal arise regarding the matter, yet she could bear that with a far
better grace than to have an ignorant plebeian from the wilds of America
become the mistress of Heathdale.

Her aim was to estrange and keep the couple separated long enough to
secure a divorce and compromise Sir William with Sadie Farnum, and then
she would be ready to snap her fingers at all danger for the future.

Mrs. Farnum wrote immediately to Lady Linton, giving her a full account of
her interview with her despised sister-in-law, while Virgie, as soon as
she could recover su