Annie came to her side and placed her arm about her waist. Her action was all sympathy.
“I came here to listen,” she said kindly. “I knew there was things troublin’. You can tell me anything––or nothing. And, Eve, you’ll sure get my meanin’ when I say the good God gave me two eyes to use, an’ sometimes to sleep with. Well, dear, I mostly sleep at nights.”
Eve tried to smile, but it was a failure.
“You’re a good woman, Annie, and––and I don’t know how I’d have got on all this time without you. But sit you down and listen. I’ve begun now, and––and I must go on. Oh, I can’t tell you quite why, but I want to tell it to somebody, and––and––I’ll feel better. You said I don’t need to do all this,” she hurried on, pointing at the dressmaking. “I do. It’s the only thing that keeps me from running away, and breaking my marriage vows altogether. Will’s got no love for me, and I––my love for him died weeks ago. Maybe with those sharp eyes of yours you’ve seen it.”
Annie nodded and Eve went on.
“I’m frightened, Annie, and––and I don’t know why. Will’s a different man, but it’s not that. No,” she added thoughtfully, “somehow I’m not frightened of him now. I––I hate him too much. But I’m frightened, and–––”
She flung herself upon the worn settee, and lifted a pair of gloomy eyes to her friend’s face. “I can never touch his money, nor the things he buys. I want nothing from him, either for Elia or myself. I’m married to him and that I can’t undo. Would to God I could! But I can 204 never take anything from the man I do not love, and my love for Will is dead––dead. No, Annie, I must go on working in my own way, and I only hope and pray my husband will keep away. Maybe he will. Maybe when he’s made a big pile out of his––claim he will go away altogether, and leave me in peace with Elia. I’m hoping for it––praying for it. Oh, my dear, my dear, what a mistake I’ve made! You don’t know. You can’t guess.”
There was a silence for some moments. Annie was thinking hard. Suddenly she put a sharp question.
“Tell me, Eve. This fear you was saying. How can you be frightened? What of?”
There was no mistaking the effect of her words. Eve’s brown eyes suddenly dilated. She looked like a hunted woman. And Annie shrank at the sight of it.