Blanche proceeded: "I won't ask any questions, my dear--I won't attempt to keep you here against your will--I won't even remind you of my letter yesterday.

But I can't let you go, Anne, without having my mind made easy about you in some way.

You will relieve all my anxiety, if you will do one thing--one easy thing for my sake." "What is it, Blanche ?" She put that question with her mind far away from the subject before her.

Blanche was too eager in pursuit of her object to notice the absent tone, the purely mechanical manner, in which Anne had spoken to her.
"I want you to consult my uncle," she answered.

"Sir Patrick is interested in you; Sir Patrick proposed to me this very day to go and see you at the inn.