The plan of occupation for the afternoon had been settled during
Blanche's absence. Some demon had whispered to Lady Lundie to cultivate
a taste for feudal antiquities, and to insist on spreading that taste
among her guests. She had proposed an excursion to an old baronial
castle among the hills--far to the westward (fortunately for Sir
Patrick's chance of escaping discovery) of the hills at Craig Fernie.
Some of the guests were to ride, and some to accompany their hostess in
the open carriage. Looking right and left for proselytes, Lady Lundie
had necessarily remarked the disappearance of certain members of her
circle. Mr. Delamayn had vanished, nobody knew where. Sir Patrick and
Blanche had followed his example. Her ladyship had observed, upon this,
with some asperity, that if they were all to treat each other in
that unceremonious manner, the sooner Windygates was turned into a
Penitentiary, on the silent system, the fitter the house would be for
the people who inhabited it. Under these circumstances, Arnold suggested
that Blanche would do well to make her excuses as soon as possible at
head-quarters, and accept the seat in the carriage which her step-mother
wished her to take. "We are in for the feudal antiquities, Blanche; and
we must help each other through as well as we can. If you will go in the
carriage, I'll go too."

Blanche shook her head.

"There are serious reasons for _my_ keeping up appearances," she said.
"I shall go in the carriage. You mustn't go at all."

Arnold naturally looked a little surprised, and asked to be favored with
an explanation.

Blanche took his arm and hugged it close. Now that Anne was lost, Arnold