"That is not so!" said Edward.
"Of course you are bound to defend her. It is manly of you, and what I should expect from you. But that does not matter."
"Yes, it does matter," said he. "Throughout the fault has been entirely mine. You have got to believe that. You do not understand her at all if you think otherwise."
"I do not want to understand Elizabeth. Her nature and mine are so far apart that I do not attempt to understand her. What is perfectly clear to me is that she knew that you and I were engaged, and she has tried to come between us. So far I understand her, and for me that is far enough."
Edward looked at her. Half an hour ago he had wondered whether Elizabeth was flesh and blood. Now he wondered if Edith was.
"You are absolutely mistaken about her," he said. "It is she who has been unswervingly loyal to you. The disloyalty has been entirely mine. I know I can't make you believe it, but it is so."
Edith met his eye looking at her steadily without tremor.
"Yes, you can make me believe it, if you ask me to release you from your engagement to me," she said. "Do you do that?"
The waving of her fan ceased as she waited for his answer. She stood absolutely still, a marvel of self-control.
"No, I don't ask that," he said. "All the same, you must believe what I tell you about your cousin."