Lady William moved impatiently in her chair. ‘If you find it in the book, it must be right.’
‘Ah, well, that is true, no doubt. Then comes another—“25th.—Emily married. Old Gepps. Gave her away. They left train, Paris.”’
‘Is that all?’
‘It is all. I suppose old Gepps is the man who performed the ceremony. Did you ever hear my father speak of any one of that name? Do you remember the man?’
‘I recollect an old man with a white beard. I think I have a vague recollection even of the name.’
‘It is most extraordinary,’ cried the Rector, getting up from his chair, ‘that on an occasion of such importance you should not have remembered both place and name!’
‘Ah! it was just because it was an occasion of such importance, and everything so dreadful and so strange.’
‘Emily, I have hesitated to ask you: why in heaven’s name were you married like that? What was the cause?’
She pointed towards the book with a hand that trembled. ‘Papa has put it down there.’
‘He has put down the fact, but no explanation. The explanation apparently was given to him, but not recorded. But you—why should you not tell me? A sudden marriage like that, in such headlong haste—why was it? What did it mean?’