"Good God!"
She hid her face in her hands, but her voice, small and thin and quivering, struggled on. She had to confess, she had to tell him, she could endure it no longer.
"I lied about Rachel."
"And you—" he dragged out the words—"you were guilty?"
"Indeed—no! In thought, in the intention, yes." She broke off and then after a moment of agony went on, her face still hidden in her hands. "I was going to run away with him that day."
Astry did not speak, he did not even move, and Eva sank down into a chair.
"I was going and you caught me; you accused me and—" she stopped again and then went on, "and I was frightened. I'm a coward; I told you a falsehood about Rachel, then I went to her—"
"And Rachel?" his voice was hoarse.
"She forgave me, she sacrificed herself for me; she's an angel."
"And you let her marry that—that scoundrel to save you?"