chunk: Thus both Geoffrey and Arnold might be deemed to be married to Anne, depending on the weight put on the spoken and written evidence. Most of the novel concerns Anne's, Geoffrey's and Arnold's attempts to clarify their marital status:
  Anne needs to be married to save her reputation
  Geoffrey wishes to cast off Anne by asserting that she is married to Arnold
  Arnold wishes to marry Blanche, but fears he has accidentally already married Anne under Scots law.