, only in his moments of endearment.

* * * * *

But she went home at last. She went home because the May afternoon grew
chilly, and in the gathering of shadows beneath the oaks there was
something eery. Expecting a scene or a scolding, she was surprised to
find both father and mother calm. They had evidently exchanged views
concerning her, deciding that she had better indulge her whims. When she
refused to eat they made little or no protest, and only once during the
night did her mother cross the passage to ask fretfully why she didn't
go to bed. On the following day there was the same silent acknowledgment
of her right to refuse to work and of her freedom to absent herself.
Rosie was quite clear as to what had taken place. Antonio had betrayed
the fact of Claude's visit, and her parents had scented a hopeless
love-affair. Rosie was indifferent. Her love-affairs were her own
business; she owed neither explanation nor apology to any one. So long
as her parents conceded her liberty to come and go, to nibble rather
than to eat, and not to speak when spoken to, she was content.

They conceded this all through that week. In her presence they bore
themselves with timid constraint, and followed her with stealthy eyes
that watched for every shadow that crossed her face; but they let her
alone. She was as free as wind all Wednesday, Thursday, Friday,
Saturday, and Sunday.

During those days she continued to live in the exultation of the void.
There was nothing to fear any more. The worst had happened to her that
could happen, and so, in a manner of speaking, she was safe. Never since
she had begun to think had she been so free from misgiving and
foreboding as to what each new day would bring forth. No day could bring
forth anything now that could hurt her.

By Saturday the nerves of sensation began to show signs of recovering
themselves and returning to activity. In thinking of Claude, and living
through again her meetings with him, there were moments like pangs, of
longing, of passion, of despair, as the case might be, that went as
quickly as they came. But they didn't frighten her. If they were
premonitions of a state of anguish--why, there had been so much anguish
in her episode with Claude that there couldn't be much more now. If
anything, she welcomed it. It would be more as if he was back with her.
The void was peaceful. But the void filled with suffering on his account
would be better