But, really, she acknowledged afterwards to
herself, she was hoping that, Mrs Basil being out of the way, the
time might have come when Edward should return to her. All that
period she passed in an agony of jealousy and fear--the fear that
Edward might really become promiscuous in his habits.
So that, in an odd way, she was glad when Maisie Maidan came
along--and she realized that she had not, before, been afraid of
husbands and of scandals, since, then, she did her best to keep
Maisie's husband unsuspicious. She wished to appear so trustful of
Edward that Maidan could not possibly have any suspicions. It
was an evil position for her. But Edward was very ill and she
wanted to see him smile again. She thought that if he could smile
again through her agency he might return, through gratitude and
satisfied love--to her. At that time she thought that Edward was a
person of light and fleeting passions. And she could understand
Edward's passion for Maisie, since Maisie was one of those
women to whom other women will allow magnetism. She was
very pretty; she was very young; in spite of her heart she was very
gay and light on her feet. And Leonora was really very fond of
Maisie, who was fond enough of Leonora.
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