Honor glanced up quickly.
"No, Evelyn; it would be just as well not. She happened to be crossing this hill yesterday when you and Mr Kresney were on the lower road; and—she saw you together."
"Just the sort of thing she would do! I hate Mrs Olliver! Always spying on me; and I dare say she won't believe the truth even now. But I won't have her talking to Theo about me, whatever she may imagine."
"You know her very little if you think she could do that," Honor answered quietly. "She only spoke to me because she fancies I have influence with you. But that seems to be over now. You have chosen to go your own way. It is a very dangerous way. However, I can say nothing more on the subject."
Evelyn choked back her rising tears.
"Honor, can't you see that—that I'm frightened and miserable about Theo, and I must have something to help me forget? It's no use trying to make you understand how it feels to have him away up there—always in danger——"
Honor started and flushed. "Indeed, dear, I do understand," she answered, not quite steadily.
Evelyn shook her head.
"You think you do, but you can't really. I know you are great friends with him, and you'd be very sorry if—if anything happened. But it's ever so much worse for me, because I am—his wife. Now I must go and write to him about all this."
And Honor, left alone, leaned back in her chair, hiding her face in her hands.