Lily at first made futile efforts to find a reasonable answer to the bewildering senselessness of such enquiries.
But she found that Doris never listened to an answer, never appeared to expect one.
Lily came to the conclusion that "Why do you look like that?" was merely meant as a concession to the conventionalities, a hasty passing assumption of an interest in her welfare, that could not even carry its pretence through to the end.
Lily grew more and more weary, and wondered why she lacked moral courage to tell Nicholas that his experiment was not proving successful. That he would never perceive it without being told, she took for granted.
Nicholas lacked neither generosity nor tenderness towards his wife, and she took herself bitterly to task for the involuntary disappointment that possessed her in her constant perception of his lack of intuition.
XVIII
"I say, Mrs. Aubray, do you think I leave you too long alone in the evenings, after dinner?"
"Not at all," said Lily, trying not to make her voice over-emphatic.
"Do you really mean that? I'm sure you really think I neglect you appallingly."