She held them all three by the sheer shock of it.
The Vicar spoke first. "What do you mean, 'he can't'? He must."
"He must not. Ally doesn't want to marry him. He asked her long ago and she wouldn't have him."
"Do you mean," said Rowcliffe, surprised out of his reticence, "before this happened?"
"Yes."
"And she wouldn't have him?"
"No. She was afraid of him."
"She was afraid of him—and yet——" It was Mary who spoke now.
"Yes, Mary. And yet—she cared for him."
The Vicar turned on her.