Page:The Painted Veil - Maugham - 1925.djvu/189

 (and now she was certain that it was true) filled her with consternation. Ever since she came home she had been trying to think; but her mind was a blank, and she could not collect her thoughts. Suddenly she heard a step, the feet were booted so that it could not be one of the boys; with a gasp of apprehension she realised that it could only be her husband. He was in the sitting-room and she heard herself called. She did not reply. There was a moment’s silence and then a knock on her door.

“May I come in?”

Kitty rose from her bed and slipped into a dressing-gown.

“Yes.”

He entered. She was glad that the closed shutters shadowed her face.

“I hope I didn’t wake you. I knocked very, very gently.”

“I haven’t been asleep.”

He went to one of the windows and threw open the shutter. A flood of warm light streamed into the room.

“What is it?” she asked. “Why are you back so early?”

“The Sisters said that you weren’t very well. I thought I had better come and see what was the matter.”

A flash of anger passed through her.

“What would you have said if it had been cholera?”