ut them all peering at me. I hate
them all--all of them--and the place too, and every one in it."

"I expect you do--" said Maggie sympathetically.

"Nasty cats! As though they'd never done anything wrong all their days.
It was mostly Alfred's fault too. What does he expect when he leaves me
all alone here week after week eating one's heart out. One must do
something with one's time. Just like all men! At first there's nothing
too good for you, then when they get used to it they can't be bothered
about anything. I wonder what a man thinks married life is? Then to
listen to Alfred, you'd think we were still living in the days of the
Good Queen Victoria--you would indeed. Wouldn't let me go up to London
alone! There's a nice thing for you. And all because he did let me go
once and I meant to stay with mother and mother was away. So I had to
sleep at a hotel. Why shouldn't I sleep at a hotel! I'm not a baby. And
now he keeps me here like a prisoner. Just as though I were in jail."

"Is he unkind to you?" asked Maggie.

"No, he isn't. It's his horrible kindness I can't stand. He won't
divorce me, he won't let me go away, he just keeps me here and is so
kind and patient that I could kill him. I shall one day. I know I
shall." She stood for a moment, pouting and looking out of the window.
Then suddenly she turned and, flinging her arms around Maggie, burst
into tears.

"Oh, Maggie! I'm so miserable ... I'm so miserable, Maggie! Why did I
ever come here? Why did I ever marry? I was so happy at home with
mother."

Maggie comforted her, persuading her that all would soon be well, that
people very quickly forgot their little pieces of scandal, and that so
long as she did not run away or do anything really desperate all would
come right. Maggie discovered that Caroline had escaped from her crisis
with an increased respect and even affection for her husband. She was
afraid of him, and was the sort of woman who must be afraid of her
husband before her married life can settle into any kind of security.

"And I thought you'd altogether abandoned me!" she ended.

"I wasn't coming while all those people were about," said Maggie.

"You darling!" cried Caroline, kissing her. "Just the same as you used
to be. I was angry I can tell you when month after month went by and
you never came near me. I used to tell people when they asked me that
you were odd. 'She's not a bit like other people,' I would say; 'not a
bit and it's no use e