would Penge and his duty towards the family and the estate always dictate how far he could go with his homosexuality I think once Clive leaves university, his sense of duty to the traditions of the family, the "good and able" lawyers and squires, strenghtens. It might have been possible to entertain Platonic dreams (of his interpretation) at Cambridge, but not at the world at large. And I think it's possible that he might actually come to rethink his forceful rejection of Christianity--it comes across as teenage absolutism that may (or may not) soften with age, which could mean he makes a conscious choice to put (to him) sinful stuff behind him and embrace fulfilling his filial and familial duties to the full.
Tradition and duty
I think once Clive leaves university, his sense of duty to the traditions of the family, the "good and able" lawyers and squires, strenghtens. It might have been possible to entertain Platonic dreams (of his interpretation) at Cambridge, but not at the world at large. And I think it's possible that he might actually come to rethink his forceful rejection of Christianity--it comes across as teenage absolutism that may (or may not) soften with age, which could mean he makes a conscious choice to put (to him) sinful stuff behind him and embrace fulfilling his filial and familial duties to the full.