II + 

Left alone, Nell went back to her bedroom and lay down on her bed, pulling the silk eiderdown tightly over her. + 

So it was true after all. It had been Vernon. She had told herself that it couldnтАЩt beтБатАФthat she had made a ridiculous mistake. But sheтАЩd been uneasy ever since. + 

What was going to happen? What would George say about it all? Poor George! HeтАЩd been so good to her. + 

Of course there were women whoтАЩd married again, and then had found their first husbands were alive. Rather an awful position. She had never really been GeorgeтАЩs wife at all. + 

Oh! it couldnтАЩt be true. Such things didnтАЩt happen. God wouldnтАЩt letтБатАФ + 

But perhaps she had better not think of God. It reminded her of those very unpleasant things that Jane had said the other day. That very same day. + 

She thought with a rush of self-pity: тАЬI was so happy!тАЭ + 

Was Vernon going to understand? Would heтБатАФperhapsтБатАФblame her? HeтАЩd want her, of course, to come back. Or wouldnтАЩt he, now that she and GeorgeтБатАКтБатАж What did men think? + 

There could be a divorce, of course, and then she could marry George. But that would make a lot of talk. How difficult everything was. + 

She thought with a sudden shock: тАЬBut I love Vernon. How can I contemplate a divorce and marrying George when I love Vernon? HeтАЩs been given back to meтБатАФfrom the dead.тАЭ + 

She turned over restlessly on the bed. It was a beautiful Empire bed. George had bought it out of an old ch├вteau in France. It was perfect and quite unique. She looked round the room: a charming room, everything in harmonyтБатАФperfect taste, perfect unostentatious luxury. + 

She remembered suddenly the horsehair sofa and the antimacassars in the furnished rooms at Wiltsbury.тБатАКтБатАж Dreadful! But they had been happy there. + 

But now? She looked round the room with new eyes. Of course, Abbots Puissants belonged to George. Or didnтАЩt it, now that Vernon had come back? Anyway, Vernon would be just as poor as everтБатАФthey couldnтАЩt afford to live here. There were all the things that George had done to it.тБатАКтБатАж Thought after thought raced confusedly through her brain. + 

She must write to GeorgeтБатАФbeg him to come home. Just say it was urgentтБатАФnothing more. He was so clever. He might see a way. + 

Or perhaps she wouldnтАЩt write to himтБатАФnot till she had seen Vernon. Would Vernon be very angry? How terrible it all was. + 

The tears came to her eyes. She sobbed: тАЬItтАЩs unfairтБатАФitтАЩs unfair. IтАЩve never done anything. Why should this happen to me? Vernon will blame me and I couldnтАЩt know. How could I know?тАЭ + 

Again the thought flitted across her mind: тАЬI was so happy!тАЭ + 