Lady Audley’s Secret

Robert receives a letter Alicia stating that Sir Michael is feeling better and both he and Lady Audley wish to have Robert back at Audley Court. Robert laments that Lady Audley seems nervous about his investigation and yet she does not run away. Robert states that he wants to do his duty to George, but he doesn’t want to punish anyone, so he will give Lady Audley one more warning.

Robert is again overcome with worry about Sir Michael’s ruin, fearing that he himself will be the one responsible if he tells him about Lady Audley’s secrets. But then he thinks of Clara “beckon[ing] him onwards to her brother’s unknown grave.”

Robert decides that he must confront Lady Audley at Audley Court. When he arrives at the mansion, however, the lady is away shopping. Robert laments that this obsession with George’s case has taken over his life. What if his suspicions are wrong? But then Robert remembers the clue of the handwriting and knows that he only needs to “discover the darker half of my lady’s secret.”

Robert strolls to a nearby, lonely church. He listens to an unknown organist playing and thinks about how what torments him about George’s death is all he doesn’t know about it. He thinks about how Lady Audley is now out living the life of a normal upper-class woman, hiding her wicked ways.

When Robert goes to greet the organist, he discovers that Clara is the one playing the organ. She is visiting friends nearby. Clara comments that Robert looks ill. Robert says he is not ill, but troubled. He wonders if Clara is suspicious of his attempts to hide Sir Michael and Lady Audley’s identities. He thinks that he and Clara are unequally matched because of her beauty and wisdom.

Before Clara can discover more, Robert says goodbye. Clara reminds him he promised to write her if he discovers any new information. Robert confesses that he has found more circumstantial evidence linking two seemingly unrelated people together. He cannot tell her who those people are until he confirms that the person who lies in Helen’s grave is not Helen.

As Clara leaves, she states that she knows Robert will do his duty to George and solve the mystery of his disappearance. Robert says he is “a lazy, good-for-nothing fellow” but he will sacrifice his own feelings in order to discover what happened to George.

Clara rejoins her friends, who tell her about the local baronet Sir Michael. They tell her that Sir Michael recently married a poor young governess. Clara asks for the maiden name of this young governess and what she looks like. The friends tell her about Lady Audley’s childish beauty and golden curls. Clara falls silent, remembering the description of Helen from George’s letter to his sister.