Marcella kept silence.  The event she had judged improbable had come to pass.  The chance of its doing so had of course increased since Christian began to associate freely with the Walworths and their circle.  Yet, considering the slightness of the connection between that group of people and the Warricombe family, there had seemed no great likelihood of Christian’s getting acquainted with the latter.  She debated rapidly in her troubled mind how to meet this disclosure.  Curiosity would, of course, impel her brother to follow up the clue; he would again encounter Warricombe, and must then learn all the facts of Peak’s position.  To what purpose should she dissemble her own knowledge?

Did she desire that Godwin should remain in security?  A tremor more akin to gladness than its opposite impeded her utterance.  If Warricombe became aware of all that was involved in Godwin Peak’s withdrawal from among his friends—­if (as must follow) he imparted the discovery to his sister——­

The necessity of speaking enabled her to ignore these turbulent speculations, which yet were anything but new to her.

‘They met at Budleigh Salterton,’ she said, quietly.

‘Who did?  Warricombe and Peak?’

‘Yes.  At the Moorhouses’.  It was when I was there.’

Christian stared at her.

‘When you were there?  But—­you met Peak?’

His sister smiled, turning from the astonished gaze.

‘Yes, I met him.’

‘But, why the deuce——?  Why didn’t you tell me, Marcella?’

’He asked me not to speak of it.  He didn’t wish you to know that—­ that he has decided to become a clergyman.’

Christian was stricken dumb.  In spite of his sister’s obvious agitation, he could not believe what she told him; her smile gave him an excuse for supposing that she jested.

‘Peak a clergyman?’ He burst out laughing.  ’What’s the meaning of all this?—­Do speak intelligibly!  What’s the fellow up to?’

’I am quite serious.  He is studying for Orders—­has been for this last year.’

In desperation, Christian turned to another phase of the subject.

‘Then Malkin was mistaken?’

‘Plainly.’

’And you mean to tell me that Peak——?  Give me more details.  Where’s he living?  How has he got to know people like these Warricombes?’

Marcella told all that she knew, and without injunction of secrecy.  The affair had passed out of her hands; destiny must fulfil itself.  And again the tremor that resembled an uneasy joy went through her frame.

‘But how,’ asked Christian, ’did this fellow Warricombe come to know that I was a friend of Peak’s?’

’That’s a puzzle to me.  I shouldn’t have thought he would have remembered my name; and, even if he had, how could he conclude——­’

She broke off, pondering.  Warricombe must have made inquiries, possibly suggested by suspicions.