And yet all Pitt could see in his face was confusion and doubt. Was it conceivable he had blocked the horror of it out of his mind and did not actually remember?

“Miss Bellwood left this room in considerable anger,” Pitt said aloud. “She was heard shouting at you, or at least speaking very loudly and offensively.”

“Yes… yes, indeed,” Ramsay agreed. “I am afraid I spoke to her equally offensively.”

“From where, Reverend Parmenter?”

He opened his eyes wide. “From where?” he repeated. “From… from here. From this room. I… I went to the doorway, I followed her that far… then… then I realized the futility of it.” His hands clenched. “I was so angry I was afraid I would say things I might later regret. I-I returned to my desk and continued to work, or tried to.”

“You did not go after Miss Bellwood onto the landing?” Pitt kept the disbelief out of his voice with difficulty.

“No.” Ramsay sounded surprised. “No. I told you, I was afraid the quarrel would become irreparable if I continued it. I was very angry with her.” His face pinched with remembered irritation. “She was a remarkably arrogant and objectionable young woman at times.” He shifted his weight again and moved a little farther from the fire. “But she was an excellent scholar, in her way, even though areas of her understanding were limited and biased by her own very eccentric beliefs.” He looked at Pitt directly. “Rather more of emotion than of the intellect, I fear. But then she was a woman, and young. It would be unfair to expect more of her. Like all of us, she was limited by her nature.”

Pitt regarded him carefully, studying his features to try to understand the emotions which prompted such a mixed and peculiar speech.