‘I think that argument is overthrown,’ Graye said, ’by my earliest assumption of her hatred of him, weariness of the chain which bound her to him, and a resolve to begin the world anew.  Let’s suppose she has married another man—­somewhere abroad, say; she would be silent for her own sake.’

‘You’ve hit the only genuine possibility,’ said Mr. Raunham, tapping his finger upon his knee.  ’That would decidedly dispose of the second difficulty.  But his motive would be as mysterious as ever.’

Cytherea’s pictured dreads would not allow her mind to follow their conversation.  ‘She’s burnt,’ she said.  ’O yes; I fear—­I fear she is!’

’I don’t think we can seriously believe that now, after what has happened,’ said the rector.

Still straining her thought towards the worst, ’Then, perhaps, the first Mrs. Manston was not his wife,’ she returned; ’and then I should be his wife just the same, shouldn’t I?’

‘They were married safely enough,’ said Owen.  ’There is abundance of circumstantial evidence to prove that.’

‘Upon the whole,’ said Mr. Raunham, ’I should advise your asking in a straightforward way for legal proof from the steward that the present woman is really his original wife—­a thing which, to my mind, you should have done at the outset.’  He turned to Cytherea kindly, and asked her what made her give up her husband so unceremoniously.

She could not tell the rector of her aversion to Manston, and of her unquenched love for Edward.

‘Your terrified state no doubt,’ he said, answering for her, in the manner of those accustomed to the pulpit.  ’But into such a solemn compact as marriage, all-important considerations, both legally and morally, enter; it was your duty to have seen everything clearly proved.  Doubtless Mr. Manston is prepared with proofs, but as it concerns nobody but yourself that her identity should be publicly established (and by your absenteeism you act as if you were satisfied) he has not troubled to exhibit them.  Nobody else has taken the trouble to prove what does not affect them in the least —­that’s the way of the world always.  You, who should have required all things to be made clear, ran away.’

‘That was partly my doing,’ said Owen.

The same explanation—­her want of love for Manston—­applied here too, but she shunned the revelation.

‘But never mind,’ added the rector, ’it was all the greater credit to your womanhood, perhaps.  I say, then, get your brother to write a line to Mr. Manston, saying you wish to be satisfied that all is legally clear (in case you should want to marry again, for instance), and I have no doubt that you will be.  Or, if you would rather, I’ll write myself?’

‘O no, sir, no,’ pleaded Cytherea, beginning to blanch, and breathing quickly.  ’Please don’t say anything.  Let me live here with Owen.  I am so afraid it will turn out that I shall have to go to Knapwater and be his wife, and I don’t want to go.  Do conceal what we have told you.  Let him continue his deception—­it is much the best for me.’