"Why should I wish to do that, sir?" she repeated scornfully--"because I am the most miserable woman on God's green earth."
"Oh, surely not, Mrs. Geary. You have a good home, healthy children, and a capital husband."
Again she laughed scornfully. "A capital husband, when it suits him. Oh, you don't know what Geary is, Mr. Haskins. His soul is as black as his face, and that is saying a lot."
"I wondered why you married a negro," commented Haskins, leaning over the bridge, and leading her to confide in him.
"I married him because I was a greedy fool, sir. I was a housemaid, or at least a general servant, under Bellaria at the Pixy's House."
Gerald caught his breath. "That is where the mad girl lives, according to your husband."
"Mad? She's less mad than I am, sir. A poor, pretty, sweet young lady, who is kept a fast prisoner by Major Rebb."
"Why is she kept prisoner?"
"I can't tell you that, sir. All I know is that, sixteen long years ago, I was a servant there, and Miss Mavis liked me. I got on well with Bellaria too, although she had her fits of terror at times--why I can't say, but she often seemed to be scared by her very shadow. Major Rebb was away then with his regiment in Jamaica."
"Oh! And Miss Mavis lived at the Pixy's House?"