Was not her love for George Selby deeper than any other woman's could be?
Had she not a right to him?
Did he not belong to her by virtue of her overmastering passion?
His wife--she was not his wife, except by the law.

She could not be.

Even with the law she could have no right to stand between two souls that were one.
It was an infamous condition in society that George should be tied to her.
Laura thought this, believed it; because she desired to believe it.

She came to it as an original propositions founded an the requirements of her own nature.

She may have heard, doubtless she had, similar theories that were prevalent at that day, theories of the tyranny of marriage and of the freedom of marriage.