Did other men treat their wives the way Thomas treated her? She knew they did not. What she could not parse was whether he acted as he did only because of his proclivities at the ordinaries (and at their house), or whether there was a deeper cause. Did he despise her because she was barren? Did he really believe that she was dull and his violence was tutelage? Was it something that was in him or—what might be worse—something that was in her?
