"I suppose you'll think I'm crazier than ever," she said. "But while I don't like Belinda, I don't think she's quite a 'creature' ... not yet, anyway. And her one chance is to.... Well ... my setting Morris free quickly ... as soon as possible, will give her her chance."
Charlotte stared at her; her little mouth unlocked by sheer amazement.
Then she said in a faint voice:
"To think of my living to hear you speak like that!"
"I can't help it, Chartie. That's the way I feel. I must be perfectly honest with you and Joe, or what's the use of my talking with you at all? Do you think I like doing it?" she asked, her own voice suddenly trembling. "Never, never have I hated anything so much!" she ended vehemently.
She got up, went over to the window again, and stood leaning against it, her back to them.
The Judge looked miserably at Charlotte, and her eyebrows said: "Wait a while. She'll calm down."
So all three waited in an uncomfortable silence.
Presently Sophy turned round. There were tears in her eyes, but she was smiling. "My poor dear dears!" she said, in such an affectionate, sorry voice that their hearts jumped towards her. "It was horrid of me to burst out at you like that...."
Charlotte went up and put a brisk, muscular little arm hard about her sister's shoulders.