The one chance on which the discovery of Arnold's position depended, was the chance that accident might reveal the truth in the lapse of time.

In this posture of circumstances, Sir Patrick now resolved--if nothing happened to relieve Blanche's anxiety in the course of the week--to advance the celebration of the marriage from the end of the autumn (as originally contemplated) to the first fortnight of the ensuing month.

As dates then stood, the change led (so far as free scope for the development of accident was concerned) to this serious result.

It abridged a lapse of three months into an interval of three weeks.
The next morning came; and Blanche marked it as a memorable morning, by committing an act of imprudence, which struck away one more of the chances of discovery that had existed, before the arrival of the Edinburgh telegram on the previous day.
She had passed a sleepless night; fevered in mind and body; thinking, hour after hour, of nothing but Anne.

At sunrise she could endure it no longer.