Suddenly Olivia was angry as she was angry sometimes at the meddling of Aunt Cassie. “I didn’t take him away. I did everything possible to avoid him ... until you came. It was you who threw us together. That’s why we’re all in a tangle now.” And she kept thinking what a strange woman Sabine Callendar really was, how intricate and unfathomable. She knew of no other woman in the world who could talk thus so dispassionately, so without emotion.
“I thought I’d have him to amuse,” she was saying, “and instead of that he only uses me as a confidante. He comes to me for advice about another woman. And that, as you know, isn’t very interesting....”
Olivia sat suddenly erect. “What does he say? What right has he to do such a thing?”
“Because I’ve asked him to. When I first came here, I promised to help him. You see, I’m very friendly with you both. I want you both to be happy and ... besides I can think of nothing happening which could give me greater pleasure.”
When Olivia did not answer her, she turned from the window and asked abruptly, “What are you going to do about him?”
Again Olivia thought it best not to answer, but Sabine went on pushing home her point relentlessly, “You must forgive me for speaking plainly, but I have a great affection for you both ... and I ... well, I have a sense of conscience in the affair.”
“You needn’t have. There’s nothing to have a conscience about.”
“You’re not being very honest.”
Suddenly Olivia burst out angrily, “And why should it concern you, Sabine ... in the least? Why should I not do as I please, without interference?”
“Because, here ... and you know this as well as I do ... here such a thing is impossible.”