Lady Holme followed. She saw her husband, with
the light behind him, standing with his hand on the handle of the hall
door. For an instant she thought that he was going to shut her out. He
actually pushed the door till the light was almost hidden. Then he flung
it open with a bang, threw down his hat and strode upstairs.
If he had shut her out! She found herself wondering what would have
become of her, where she would have gone. She would have had to go to the
Coburg, or to Claridge's, without a maid, without luggage. As she slowly
came upstairs she heard her husband go into the drawing-room. Was he
waiting for her there? or did he wish to avoid her? When she reached the
broad landing she hesitated. She was half inclined to go in audaciously,
to laugh in his face; turn his fury into ridicule, tell him she was the
sort of woman who is born to do as she likes, to live as she chooses, to
think of nothing but her own will, consult nothing but her whims of the
moment. But she went on and into her bedroom.
Josephine was there and began to take the diamonds out of her hair. Lady
Holme did not say a word. She was listening intently for the sound of any
movement below. She heard nothing. When she was undressed, and there was
nothing more for the maid to do, she began to feel uneasy, as if she
would rather not dismiss the girl. But it was very late. Josephine
strangled her yawns with difficulty. There was no excuse for keeping her
up any longer.
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