He answered that he did know; and, what is more, he mentioned the place.
Sir Patrick saw that further opposition on his part, at that moment, would be worse than useless.

He wisely determined to wait, before he interfered again, until Lady Lundie had thoroughly exhausted herself and her inquiries.

At the same time--as it was impossible, in the present state of her ladyship's temper, to provide against what might happen if the inquiries after Anne unluckily proved successful--he decided on taking measures to clear the house of the guests (in the interests of all parties) for the next four-and-twenty hours.
"I only want to ask you a question, Lady Lundie," he resumed.

"The position of the gentlemen who are staying here is not a very pleasant one while all this is going on.

If you had been content to let the matter pass without notice, we should have done very well.