ible for her any longer to resist the conviction that she had
distrusted appearances without the slightest reason, and that she had
permitted purely visionary suspicions to fill her with purely causeless
alarm. In the firm belief that she was in danger, she had watched
through the night--and nothing had happened. In the confident
anticipation that Geoffrey had promised what he was resolved not to
perform, she had waited to see what excuse he would find for keeping
her at the cottage. And, when the time came for the visit, she found him
ready to fulfill the engagement which he had made. At Holchester House,
not the slightest interference had been attempted with her perfect
liberty of action and speech. Resolved to inform Sir Patrick that she
had changed her room, she had described the alarm of fire and the events
which had succeeded it, in the fullest detail--and had not been once
checked by Geoffrey from beginning to end. She had spoken in confidence
to Blanche, and had never been interrupted. Walking round the
conservatory, she had dropped behind the others with perfect impunity,
to say a grateful word to Sir Patrick, and to ask if the interpretation
that he placed on Geoffrey's conduct was really the interpretation which
had been hinted at by Blanche. They had talked together for ten
minutes or more. Sir Patrick had assured her that Blanche had correctly
represented his opinion. He had declared his conviction that the rash
way was, in her case, the right way; and that she would do well (with
his assistance) to take the initiative, in the matter of the separation,
on herself. "As long as he can keep you under the same roof with
him"--Sir Patrick had said--"so long he will speculate on our anxiety to
release you from the oppression of living with him; and so long he will
hold out with his brother (in the character of a penitent husband)
for higher terms. Put the signal in the window, and try the experiment
to-night. Once find your way to the garden door, and I answer for
keeping you safely out of his reach until he has submitted to the
separation, and has signed the deed." In those words he had urged Anne
to prompt action. He had received, in return, her promise to be guided
by his advice. She had gone back to the drawing-room; and Geoffrey had
made no remark on her absence. She had returned to Fulham, alone with
him in his brother's carriage; and he had asked no questions. What was
it natural, with her means of judging,