“My health is always right as long as I have work. Did you meet Mrs. Fairfax outside?”
“A—yes. I passed her.”
“You spoke to her, I suppose?”
“A few words. Yes.”
“Do you know what she came here for?”
“No. But stay. I am wrong. She mentioned that she came for a book she lent you.”
“She mentioned what was not true. What did she say to you about Marian?”
“Well, she—She was just saying that it is perhaps as well that I should go down to Sark at once, as Marian is quite alone.”
The clergyman looked so guilty as he said this that Conolly laughed outright at him. “You mean,” he said, “that Marian is not quite alone. Well, very likely Douglas occupies himself a good deal with her. If so, there may be some busybody or another down there fool enough to tell her that people are talking about her. That would spoil her holiday; so it is lucky that you are going down. No one will take it upon themselves to speak to her when you are there; and if they say anything to you, you can let it in at one ear and out at the other.”
“That is, of course, unless I should see her really acting indiscreetly.”