Lance was glad to escape. He found Beatrice with her mother, and she and Mrs. Mowbray went at once to the Colonel's study.
"Your brother took some trouble to get this for you," Mowbray said, handing her the statement, which she read in silence.
"I will thank Lance; but this note really makes no difference," she declared.
"That's hard to understand."
"I had Craig's word. If I had doubted him, would I have believed this woman? But there's another matter I want to speak of. Craig didn't want me to, but he gave me permission."
Taking out the photographs Harding had shown her, she handed them to Mowbray. Mrs. Mowbray, looking over his shoulder, uttered an exclamation. The Colonel, too, was startled.
"That's Ash Garth, with Janet Harding on the steps! Where did you get them? What does it mean?"
Instead of answering, the girl glanced at her mother.
"I think it's quite plain," Mrs. Mowbray said. "Beatrice is engaged to Basil Harding's son."
"Why was I not told before?" Mowbray asked excitedly. "He's as well born as you are! Can't you see how it alters things?"