"Laneton--Laneton! What could be the meaning of that? But absurd; the horses had taken fright and been turned up there. Of course, the lane would be very heavy at this time of the year, and it was done to tire out the horses. But then Mrs Brandon lived at Laneton. It was there that that interview took place with Miss Bedford. But absurd; Miss Bedford had left there for long enough, and no doubt they would find at the entrance of the lane that the carriage had turned down there, and now exhibited the back tracks. They had overshot the mark, and it was a great pity. It was unfortunate altogether, but one thing was evident: the wedding could not take place that day." So mused Sir Philip, till, as they neared the narrow entrance that they had barely noticed, another troublous thought flashed upon his mind. "Did you send a man on horseback from the church?" he asked eagerly of Mr Bray. "Man on horseback?" said Mr Bray, looking confusedly up at where Sir Philip stood upon the front cushions. "Yes, a messenger. Did you send one to the Court?" "No," said Mr Bray decidedly. "Did any one, then? do you know of one being sent?" exclaimed Sir Philip. "No," said Mr Bray stoutly. "We sent no messenger." What did it mean, then, that strange man on the panting horse, who had brought a message for his son? Something must, then, be wrong, and this was no accident. "Gone down here, Sir Philip, after all," said the coachman, pointing with his whip, as he drew up at the entrance of the narrow lane. "And come back again, have they not?" cried Sir Philip eagerly, peering down at the wheel-tracks in the hope of finding that in his own mind he had been raising up a bugbear of undefined shape and dread portent. "No, Sir Philip, they ain't come back," said the coachman, turning his horses into the lane. The carriage had to be driven here slowly through rut and hole, worn by the farmers' heavy wagons; but still at a good sharp trot where the road admitted, till a wagon blocked the way about a mile down, when a good deal of contriving had to be exercised for the two vehicles to pass. "Did you see a carriage lower down?" asked Sir Philip of the wagoner. "Ay, sur. A foine un it were, too: four bosses, and chaps in blue, and torsels in their caps. Passed me, ah, moren half an hour agoo." "Were the horses running away asked?" Mr Bray, for Sir Philip was silent. "Roonnin' awa-ay, sur? Noa, cos they had to wa-ait while I drawed up to ta hedgeside, for t' la-ane's narrerer lower deown."