Winners and Losers, book 3, chapter 8

At nine o'clock that night, Helen Knapp, from her bed, telephoned Josiphene.  She did not expect her to be at home, though.

"Hello," Eli answered.  "Eli," Helen said, "pardon me for calling at this hour, but is Josiphene home, by any chance?"

"Josiphene," Eli hollered, "your sister in law want to talk to you!"

"Hello," Josiphene answered, in her kitchen.

"Josiphene--Helen.  Just called to talk."

"Glad to hear from you," Josiphene, entirely disappointed that the call was not from Nicholas, said.  "What's the news?"

After several minutes of petty chit chat, Josiphene began to suspect that Helen was trying to bring up the subject of Nicholas Abraham.

"Don't forget the bridge game Thursday evening," Josiphene said, trying to keep personal discussion at bay.

"Of course not," Helen said.  "Josiphene, I might as well get this off my mind.  What I really called about was--well, George and I have been discussing your well known relationship with Nicholas Abraham."

"What about it?" Josiphene, in an unfriendly tone, asked.

"Well," Helen said, "I'm just telling you this because we're concerned about you.  If you and Eli are so unhappy, why did you marry him in the first place?"

"Of all the nerve!" Josiphene retorted.  "When Eli and I are ready for a divorce, that will be our business!"

"Wouldn't you be happier that way?" Helen asked.

"Helen," Josiphene, her voice trembling, said, "I might as well tell you--I'm not so sure Nicholas is ready for marriage.  I'm not quite sure why, but I sense that in him."

""What's his problem?"

"Goodnight, Mrs. Knapp!" Josiphene said, slamming the telephone receiver down.

"My Lord!" Helen said, walking to the den, where George was.

"George Knapp," she said, "I'm through fighting your battles! Josiphene was so discourteous to me over the phone, why, I'll never speak to her again!"

Thursday evening, Helen was not at the bridge game.