Wilkie Collins

The Law and the Lady Wilkie Collins

Valeria and Eustace Woodville begin their marriage inauspiciously, when, on honeymoon at Ramsgate, Valeria discovers her husband's true name is Macallan. As Eustace refuses to explain she confronts his mother who although sympathetic will also not answer her questions. Valeria becomes 'positively resolved...to discover the secret which the mother and son were hiding.' On returning to London, Valeria establishes that her marriage is legally valid. She also visits Eustace's closest friend, Major Fitz-David. He knows the secret but is on his word of honour not to help its discovery. The Major, a modern Don Juan, is sympathetic to Valeria's position and tacitly allows her to search his rooms. She finds a trial report revealing that Eustace was accused of poisoning his first wife Sarah at Gleninch, his Mid-Lothian house, and is tainted with the Scotch verdict of Not Proven. Valeria is now determined to find the proof of his innocence. Eustace, however, weakly runs away from his wife, going abroad alone.