‘Only of people she has met here.’

Rhoda yielded—­or seemed to yield—­to an impulse of frankness.  Bending slightly forward, with an anxious expression, she said in confidential tones—­

’Can you help to put my mind at rest about Monica?  You saw her a week ago.  Did she say anything, or give any sign, that might make one really uneasy on her account?’

There was a struggle in Milly before she answered.  Rhoda added—­

‘Perhaps you had rather not—­’

’Yes, I had rather tell you.  She said a good many strange things, and I have been uneasy about her.  I wished I could speak to some one—­’

‘How strange that I should feel urged to ask you about this,’ said Rhoda, her eyes, peculiarly bright and keen, fixed on the girl’s face.  ’The poor thing is very miserable, I am sure.  Her husband seems to leave her entirely to herself.’

Milly looked surprised.

’Monica made quite the opposite complaint to me.  She said that was a prisoner.’

‘That’s very odd.  She certainly goes about a good deal and alone.’

‘I didn’t know that,’ said Milly.  ’She has very often talked to me about a woman’s right to the same freedom as a man, and I always understood that Mr. Widdowson objected to her going anywhere without him, except just to call here, or at my lodgings.’

‘Do you think she has any acquaintance that he dislikes?’

The direct answer was delayed, but it came at length.

‘There is some one.  She hasn’t told me who it is.’

‘In plain words, Mr. Widdowson thinks he has cause for jealousy?’

‘Yes, I understand Monica to mean that.’

Rhoda’s face had grown very dark.  She moved her hands nervously.

‘But—­you don’t think she could deceive him?’

‘Oh, I can’t think that!’ replied Miss Vesper, with much earnestness.  ’But what I couldn’t help fearing, after I saw her last, was that she might almost be tempted to leave her husband.  She spoke so much of freedom—­and of a woman’s right to release herself if she found her marriage was a mistake.’

’I am so grateful to you for telling me all this.  We must try to help her.  Of course I will make no mention of you, Miss Vesper.  Then you are really under the impression that there’s some one she—­ prefers to her husband?’

‘I can’t help thinking there is,’ admitted the other very solemnly.  ’I was so sorry for her, and felt so powerless.  She cried a little.  All I could do was to entreat her not to behave rashly.  I thought her sister ought to know—­’

’Oh, Miss Madden is useless.  Monica cannot look to her for advice or support.’

After this conversation Rhoda passed a very unquiet night, and gloom appeared in her countenance for the next few days.