“They tap on the door before coming in.”
“Well, let them suspect! They’re devoted to me. Servants always are.”
“That may be; but it won’t prevent their talking. And talk spreads from servants.”
“I don’t care!”
“I do. If you won’t take care of yourself, I must take care of you.”
Elaine smiled crookedly.
“Oh, I’m not taking a moral attitude,” said Joe. “It’s just that I don’t choose to have my wife talked about by servants.”
“I have not said that I would marry you,” she said quickly.
“But you will!”
Elaine was silent, looking into the grate. She was pale; her cheeks showed little shadowy hollows. It was a disagreeable mild day out-of-doors; indoors the fire sulked.