When Valancy reaches the lake shore she's startled to see a garish-but-expensive purple car parked beside Barney's battered old grey slosson. There is a chauffeur sitting in the front seat and, as Valancy steps out of the trees, a short pudgy man in a loud suit jumps out of the back. Valancy has the distinct impression that she should know him, but can't think from where. He smiles and asks if she can tell him if the cabin on the island belongs to a Mr. Redfern. The Redfern triggers Valancy's memory: Redfern's bitters, vitamins, liniment, hair tonic, etc... it's this man's face on the bottles. She says faintly no, the cabin is owned by Mr. Snaith. Redfern says that he heard that Bernie has been calling himself Snaith, which is actually his mother's maiden name: he's really Bernard Snaith Redfern, Dr. Redfern's son and heir to the Redfern patent medicine millions. After dropping this bomb, he asks if Valancy knows how to get over to the island; he's been shouting and waving, but apparently no one is home. Valancy says that she does and it's her turn to shock him, by telling him that she's Barney's wife. Dr. Redfern is obviously shaken but rallies around, saying that she looks like a sensible sort unlike the numerous beauties that used to be chasing Barney around because of all his money. Ouch. Valancy takes him over to the island in the boat and seats him on the porch overlooking the water. As Barney is still gone, she must sit and keep Dr. Redfern company, though that's the last thing she feels like doing.
Deciding that she must leave before Barney returns, Valancy decides to write him a letter of explanation and apology. Unfortunately, she has neither pen nor paper so she crosses to Barney's private room and tries the door, something she has never done before. It's not locked- perhaps Barney was too upset to notice when he left- so she goes inside. It's a neat room with a desk and walls lined with books. Valancy crosses to the desk; there is a manuscript sitting on it. Glancing at it, she notes that it's titled Wild Honey by John Foster. Reading further she recognises a phrase describing pine trees that Barney said to her on one of their rambling walks. In a disinterested way, she realises that Barney is also John Foster... at this point, it is merely one more shock and she just feels numb. She takes out a pen and paper and writes her note:
"Dear Barney:--
I went to Dr. Trent this morning and found out he had sent me the wrong letter by mistake. There never was anything serious the matter with my heart and I am quite well now.
I did not mean to trick you. Please believe that. I could not bear it if you did not believe that. I am very sorry for the mistake. But surely you can get a divorce if I leave you. Is desertion a ground for divorce in Canada? Of course if there is anything I can do to help or hasten it I will do it gladly, if your lawyer will let me know.
I thank you for all your kindness to me. I shall never forget it. Think as kindly of me as you can, because I did not mean to trap you. Good-bye.
Yours gratefully,
Valancy."
After a second she adds a postscript:
"Your father was here today. He is coming back tomorrow. He told me everything. I think you should go back to him. He is very lonely for you."