“Youwillletmegowithyou？“
“Notto-day。Ishallbebackthiseveningtodinner。Youshallhearallthathashappened；andyoushallaccompanymetoLondonto-morrow——ifIfinditnecessarytomakeanylengthenedstaythere。Betweenthisandthen，aftertheshockthatyouhavesuffered，youwilldowelltobequiethere。BesatisfiedwithmyassurancethatBlancheshallhaveyourletter。Iwillforcemyauthorityonherstep-mothertothatextentifherstep-motherresistswithoutscruple。TherespectinwhichIholdthesexonlylastsaslongasthesexdeservesit——anddoes_not_extendtoLadyLundie。ThereisnoadvantagethatamancantakeofawomanwhichIamnotfullypreparedtotakeofmysister-in-law。“
Withthatcharacteristicfarewell，heshookhandswithArnold，anddepartedforthestation。
Atseveno’clockthedinnerwasonthetable。Atseveno’clockSirPatrickcamedownstairstoeatit，asperfectlydressedasusual，andascomposedasifnothinghadhappened。
“Shehasgotyourletter，“hewhispered，ashetookArnold’sarm，andledhimintothedining-room。