Lady John (very gravely). Don't say that.
(Jean has quietly disengaged herself from Mrs. Heriot, and the group at the window returns and stands behind Lady John, looking up into Miss Leverings's face.)
Miss L. (to Lady John). You're so conscious it's here, you're afraid to have it mentioned.
Lady John (turning and seeing Jean. Rising hastily). If it's here, it is the fault of those women agitators.
Miss L. (gently). No woman begins that way. (Leans forward with clasped hands looking into vacancy.) Every woman's in a state of natural subjection (smiles at Jean)—no, I'd rather say allegiance to her idea of romance and her hope of motherhood. They're embodied for her in man. They're the strongest things in life—till man kills them.
(Rousing herself and looking into Lady John's face.)
Let's be fair. Each woman knows why that allegiance died.
(Lady John turns hastily, sees Lord John coming down with Mr. Freddy and meets them at the foot of the stairs. Miss Levering has turned to the table looking for her gloves, &c., among the papers; unconsciously drops the handkerchief she had in her little book.)
Jean (in a low voice to Miss Levering). All this talk against the wicked Suffragettes—it makes me want to go and hear what they've got to say for themselves.
Miss L. (smiling with a non-committal air as she finds the veil she's been searching for). Well, they're holding a meeting in Trafalgar Square at three o'clock.