While these events were taking place in London, Marie, isolated² in The Monastery³, anxiously waited to hear news from her lover. As arranged, Mr. Fuller met her at the Lewes station and drove her to Belstone in his trap. As Alan had guessed, the vicar was in full possession of all that had taken place, and invited the girl to stay with himself and his wife until matters were more settled. While in London Marie had complained of her loneliness at the big house, and had looked forward to some such invitation. But on the way down in the train she had changed her mind, since she felt that she could think things out better when alone. However, she did not object to dining at the vicarage, and explained the whole matter to her hostess. They were naturally horrified⁴, as no such event had ever before disturbed the village.

 

"I can't believe that Mr. Sorley would commit a crime," said Mrs. Fuller, greatly distressed⁵, "gentlemen don't do these things."

 

The vicar drew down his long upper lip. "I fear that gentlemen do what suits them, when the temptation is strong, my dear."

 

"Does that mean that you believe Uncle Ran is guilty?" flashed out Marie in a resentful tone.

 

"Not necessarily. I am not yet acquainted with the whole story, save what scraps⁶ you told me as we drove here."

 

Marie looked round the room, and seeing that the servants had taken their departure, leaving those at the table to walnuts⁷ and wine, she concluded that the moment had come to make a clean breast of things. In a low voice, and entirely⁸ without emotion, she related all that she had heard from Alan and Dick. The story sounded black enough, and the faces of Mr. and Mrs. Fuller grew longer as she proceeded. When she ended there ensued a silence which rasped Marie's nerves.

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