Lady Audley's Secret

As he travels to Brussels, Robert is horrified at the thought of leaving George buried at the bottom of the well, yet he can see no way out of this predicament.

Back at his chambers, he finds three letters. One of is from Alicia, informing him that her father is consumed with grief and that she is trying her best to distract him. Another is from Sir Michael, telling him to take care of the necessary arrangements for his wife—though he wishes to know nothing more about her. Robert is relieved, as this means that he will not have to tell him about George’s murder.

The third letter is from Clara, telling him that Luke Marks is very ill and that Phoebe wants Robert to see him. Robert dreams of a world in which there is no grief or death; just Clara and himself. Still, he wonders why Luke wants to see him.

Robert shies away from telling Clara what has happened to George. He feels it is better to let her hope in vain. He also wonders what she would say if he confessed his feelings for her, but then doubts whether he can hope for anything while he is haunted by George’s murder. He decides that he must give his friend a decent burial.

Back in Audley, Robert learns that Luke Marks’s is close to death as a result of the shock of the fire, in addition to excessive drinking.

Phoebe asks to speak with Robert privately and recalls a conversation she had had with him after the fire, in which she had revealed her suspicion that Lady Audley was responsible. She says that Luke knows nothing of this and is spiteful enough towards Lady Audley without this extra knowledge. She asks Robert not to mention it, and he agrees.

When they return, Luke insists on speaking to Robert alone and thanks him for saving his life. Luke remarks on Robert’s fondness for George, but Robert tells him that he already knows about George’s fate. Likewise, if Luke has anything to reveal about Lady Audley, it is nothing that Robert does not know.

Once Luke has stopped speaking, Robert thinks about his future. If he is to keep George’s fate a secret, this will mean never seeing Clara again; if he is to be with Clara, he will have to tell her what has happened to George. The situation seems hopeless.  

When Luke mentions the 7th of last September, Robert wishes that he would not bring up the date of George’s murder. Nevertheless, Luke insists that he has a secret that he never told Lady Audley. He then starts talking about the farm where he used to work and how, one night, he brought home a bedraggled gentleman with a broken arm who “had to be cared for like a baby” (357). Robert cries out that George is alive.

Luke takes out two pieces of paper, both of which feature messages written by George. One, which is addressed to Robert, states that he has been forced to flee from England and that Robert must try to forget him. The other is addressed to Helen, telling her that he will never try to contact her again and may God forgive her for what she has done.

Luke tells Robert the full story: how he had visited Audley Court and found a man groaning in pain in the garden. Luke was going to take him into the house, but George had insisted on leaving the grounds without being seen. Luke subsequently took him to the cottage but, the next morning, George said that he must leave and insisted on seeing a surgeon who would not recognize him. 

After being treated, George had written the two notes using his uninjured hand. Robert asked Luke to deliver these letters and then departed for London. Luke had intended to send Robert his letter but did not know the address, so he waited for Robert to return to Audley.

When Luke next visited Phoebe, she revealed that she had suffered an upset and said that the Lady would no longer refuse anything Phoebe asked of her. Luke was surprised by this, as Phoebe had previously said that it would take a long time to get anything from the Lady. Phoebe consequently revealed that she had witnessed the altercation between Lady Audley and George and had made this fact known to the Lady.

Lady Audley had thought George dead, but his letters revealed otherwise. Exposing them would mean that Luke and Phoebe could not extort money from the Lady, which is why Luke kept them a secret. Luke had planned to tell her the truth, but Lady Audley was so rude and insulting that Luke did not feel inclined to put her mind at rest. Robert observes that, if Luke had told the truth, the inn would not have burned down.

As Luke sleeps, Robert prays that he will be able to visit Clara and tell her that her brother is alive and has been found. The next day, he hears that Luke has died. He writes a letter to Helen Talboys, relaying that her attempted murder was unsuccessful. 

Clara tells her father that George is most likely still alive, and he admits that he is happy to hear this and looks forward to George’s return. He also remarks that, had he been in charge of Lady Audley’s fate, he would have been far less lenient than Robert.

While he is staying with Clara and her father, Robert again wonders if Clara is aware of his feelings for her. He is also jealous whenever she receives visitors. Clara advises Robert to take life more seriously and apply himself to an occupation, and he thinks that he would be more inclined to do so if he knew that he would be rewarded.

After spending five weeks with Clara and her father, Robert senses that it is time to depart. On his last day, he and Clara talk about George, and Robert asks if she would like him to search for her brother. She says that she could not ask him to make such a sacrifice, but he says that he would do anything for her. He then confesses that he loves her and suggests they go to Australia as man and wife.

A quarter of an hour later, Harcourt Talboys has given his permission for Clara and Robert to be married and for the couple to spend their honeymoon in Australia. Robert is now a new man with a sense of purpose.

When Robert returns to his chamber, the landlady says that a visitor is waiting for him. It is George, who never returned to Australia but went to New York before finally becoming lonely and weary of his exile. He was also plagued by his memories, surrounded by people who knew nothing of his grief. He consequently sought out that friend who had supported him during his darkest hours.

Two years later, Robert has a successful legal career and he and Clara are living in a cottage with their young child. George also lives there, and his son is currently visiting. They receive various other visitors, such as Alicia and Sir Michael Audley, who is dealing with his grief as best he can. Lady Audley, meanwhile, has passed away after a long illness.

Audley Court is now closed, but is shown to visitors who are intrigued by the story of Lady Audley. Sir Michael has no desire to return there and has been living in London with Alicia. However, once she marries Harry Towers, he will move to a house in Hertfordshire.

George Talboys is now much happier and, as a young man, may still meet someone who will console him.