' Alice declared,
aglow with spiteful anticipation.

Rodman approved the purpose, and went off to bed laughing uproariously.

CHAPTER XXVIII

Adela allowed a week to pass before speaking of her desire to visit
Mrs. Westlake. In Mutimer a fit of sullenness had followed upon his
settlement in lodgings. He was away from home a good deal, but his hours
of return were always uncertain, and Adela could not help thinking
that he presented himself at unlikely times, merely for the sake of
surprising her and discovering her occupation. Once or twice she had no
knowledge of his approach until he opened the door of the room; when she
remarked on his having ascended the stairs so quietly, he professed not
to understand her. On one of those occasions she was engaged on a letter
to her mother; he inquired to whom she was writing, and for reply
she merely held out the sheet for his perusal. He glanced at the
superscription, and handed it back. Breathing this atmosphere of
suspicion, she shrank from irritating him by a mention of Stella, and to
go without his express permission was impossible. Stella did not write;
Adela began to fear lest her illness had become more serious. When she
spoke at length, it was in one of the moments of indignation, almost of
revolt, which at intervals came to her, she knew not at what impulse. At
Wanley her resource at such times had been to quit the house, and pace
her chosen walk in the garden till she was weary. In London she had
no refuge, and the result of her loss of fresh air had speedily shown
itself in moods of impatience which she found it very difficult to
conquer. Her husband came home one afternoon about five o'clock, and,
refusing to have any tea, sat for several hours in complete silence;
occasionally he pretended to look at a pamphlet which he had brought in
with him, but for the most part he sat, with his legs crossed, frowning
at vacancy. Adela grew feverish beneath the oppression of this brooding
ill-temper; her endeavour to read was vain; the silence was a constraint
upon her moving, her breathing. She spoke before she was conscious of an
intention to do so.

'I think I must go and see Mrs. Westlake to-morrow morning.'

Mutimer vouchsafed no answer, gave no sign of having heard. She repeated
the words.

'If you must, you must.'

'I wish to,' Adela said with an emphasis she could not help. 'Do you
object to my going?'

He was surprised at her tone.

'I don't object.