Robbie Gives the Letter to Briony

As Robbie walks to the Tallis house for dinner, he encounters Briony standing alone on the bridge. He asks her to deliver his letter to Cecilia, hoping it will give her time to read it in private and soften her anger. Briony takes the envelope without a word and runs off. As she runs, Robbie is suddenly seized by horror and certainty: he has given her the wrong letter, the obscene draft. He shouts after her, but it is too late; she has already entered the house. This moment is the point of no return. Robbie's carelessness, combined with Briony's curiosity, ensures that the letter will be read and misinterpreted, setting the stage for the accusation that will destroy his life.