It was one evening as she was putting things away in the kitchen before going up to bed that she heard some one rap at the window. Could this be Fred? Her heart was beating; she must let him in. The area was in darkness; she could see no one.
"It's only me. I had to see you to-night on----"
She drew an easier breath, and asked him to come in.
William had expected a rougher reception. The tone in which Esther invited him in was almost genial, and there was no need of so many excuses; but he had come prepared with excuses, and a few ran off his tongue before he was aware.
"Well," said Esther, "it is rather late. I was just going up to bed; but you can tell me what you've come about, if it won't take long."
"It won't take long.... I've seen my solicitor this afternoon, and he says that I shall find it very difficult to get a divorce."
"What do you mean? You must be either glad or sorry."
"I said what I mean. I am not given to telling lies." Esther set the large tin candlestick, on which a wick was spluttering, on the kitchen table, and William looked at her inquiringly. She was always a bit of a mystery to him. And then he told her, speaking very quickly, how he had neglected to secure proofs of his wife's infidelity at the time; and as she had lived a circumspect although a guilty life ever since, the solicitor thought that it would be difficult to establish a case against her.
"Perhaps she never was guilty," said Esther, unable to resist the temptation to irritate.
"Not guilty! what do you mean? Haven't I told you how I found them the day I came up from Ascot?... And didn't she own up to it? What more proof do you want?"
"Anyway, it appears you haven't enough; what are you going to do? Wait until you catch her out?"
"There is nothing else to do, unless----" William paused, and his eyes wandered from Esther's.
"Well, you see my solicitors have been in communication with her solicitors, and her solicitors say that if it were the other way round, that if I gave her reason to go against me for a divorce, she would be glad of the chance. That's all they said at first, but since then I've seen my wife, and she says that if I'll give her cause to get a divorce she'll not only go for it, but will pay all the legal expenses; it won't cost us a penny. What do you think Esther?"