Before him he seemed to see the long, cruel way that her small, bleeding feet had traveled, coming back at last to him.
In his heart he had already forgiven her.
XVIII
It was nearly dusk on Thursday afternoon when Belhaven came in and found Rachel in the living-room. He was pale and fagged and came slowly across the room to the tea-table. She was sitting in a deep chair by the fire but she rose mechanically and went to pour tea for him. The little service had become so familiar that it was a matter of habit. He glanced at her as he took the cup from her hands and was startled by her face.
"There's something wrong, Rachel?"
"No, I'm a little tired, that's all."
His glance traveled around the room and came back to her again, with a peculiar significance.
"I know that you're unhappy here," he said, a strong note of restraint in his voice, unaware that he was repeating Astry's words to Eva.
Rachel rallied her thoughts. "Not more so than you are," she replied without bitterness.
"In a way that's true; you've been unhappy but, none the less, you've made this house a home to me. I can pay no greater tribute to your unselfishness; you've been cruelly placed but you've uttered no reproaches."