“Nothing in particular.”

“Reading the Bible, I see.”

“How do you know that?” she asked, colouring a little, for she had thrown a newspaper over the book when she heard him coming in. “Yes, I have been reading the Bible. Don’t you know that when everything else in life has failed them women generally take to religion?”

“Or drink,” he put in, with a touch of his old bitterness. “Have you seen Mr. Cossey lately?”

“No. Why do you ask that? I thought we had agreed to drop that subject.”

As a matter of fact it had not been alluded to since Edward left the house.

“You know that Miss de la Molle will not marry him after all?”

“Yes, I know. She will not marry him because you forced him to give up the mortgages.”

“You ought to be much obliged to me. Are you not pleased?”

“No. I no longer care about anything. I am tired of passion, and sin and failure. I care for nothing any more.”