me if I asked him. He is drinking hot grog at this moment, to prevent
him from catching cold, by my express orders. He had the pony-chaise out
in two minutes; and off we went. Lady Lundie, my dear, prostrate in
her own room--too much sal volatile. I hate her. The rain got worse. I
didn't mind it. Jacob didn't mind it. The pony didn't mind it. They
had both caught my impulse--especially the pony. It didn't come on to
thunder till some time afterward; and then we were nearer Craig Fernie
than Windygates--to say nothing of your being at one place and not at
the other. The lightning was quite awful on the moor. If I had had one
of the horses, he would have been frightened. The pony shook his darling
little head, and dashed through it. He is to have beer. A mash with beer
in it--by my express orders. When he has done we'll borrow a lantern,
and go into the stable, and kiss him. In the mean time, my dear, here
I am--wet through in a thunderstorm, which doesn't in the least
matter--and determined to satisfy my own mind about you, which matters a
great deal, and must and shall be done before I rest to-night!"

She turned Anne, by main force, as she spoke, toward the light of the
candles.

Her tone changed the moment she looked at Anne's face.

"I knew it!" she said. "You would never have kept the most interesting
event in your life a secret from _me_--you would never have written me
such a cold formal letter as the letter you left in your room--if there
had not been something wrong. I said so at the time. I know it now! Why
has your husband forced you to leave Windygates at a moment's notice?
Why does he slip out of the room in the dark, as if he was afraid of
being seen? Anne! Anne! what has come to you? Why do you receive me in
this way?"