Aunt Cassie merely cleared her throat, forcibly, and with a deep significance. In her look, as in the sound of her voice, she managed to launch a flood of disapproval upon the behavior of old John Pentland and old Mrs. Soames.
Bidding the driver to go very slowly, she climbed into her shabby, antiquated motor, followed respectfully by Miss Peavey, and drove off down the long elm-bordered drive between the lines of waiting motors.
Olivia’s “dear father-in-law” was Aunt Cassie’s own brother, but she chose always to relate him to Olivia, as if in some way it bound Olivia more closely, more hopelessly, into the fabric of the family.
As the two younger women reentered the house, Olivia asked, “Where’s Thérèse? I haven’t seen her for more than an hour.”
“She’s gone home.”
“Thérèse ... gone home ... from a ball given for her!”
Olivia halted in astonishment and stood leaning against the wall, looking so charming and lovely that Sabine thought, “It’s a sin for a woman so beautiful to have such a life.”
Aloud Sabine said, “I caught her stealing away. She walked across to the cottage. She said she hated it and was miserable and bored and would rather be in bed.” Sabine shrugged her handsome shoulders and added, “So I let her go. What difference does it make?”
“None, I suppose.”
“I never force her to do things of this sort. I had too much forcing when I was young; Thérèse is to do exactly as she likes and be independent. The trouble is, she’s been spoilt by knowing older men and men who talk intelligently.” She laughed and added, “I was wrong about coming back here. I’ll never marry her off in this part of the world. The men are all afraid of her.”