“Lord, yes! Well, I put it to you, Kit! How the deuce would you know the right way to go on if you was never taught anything but the wrong way?”
She digested this for a moment in silence. “I fear there may be much in what you say,” she said reluctantly. “It has sometimes seemed to me that poor Olivia’s thoughts have not a proper direction, and I have wondered at it, for, indeed, Freddy, she is a good, kind girl! But however it may be it would, be wicked to see her thrust into marriage with such a person as Sir Henry Gosford, and make not one push to save her! And when I consider what the alternative might be, and how much I am to blame for her present distress, I feel that I must try to help her! I am persuaded you must enter into my sentiments upon this occasion!”
Mr. Standen was far from doing any such thing, but he was never one to engage in fruitless argument, so he held his peace. He perceived, however, that Miss Charing’s large charity would not permit her to abandon her unfortunate protegee, and eyed her with a good deal of misgiving.
She had risen from her chair, and was walking restlessly about the room. “Something must be done for Olivia!” she said. “She depends upon me to help her, which makes it so particularly dreadful that I cannot! And then there is poor Dolph! All this business has almost made me forget him and Hannah! What wretched work I am making of it!”
“Know what I think, Kit? Good thing if you did forget ‘em! What I mean is, very sorry for the poor fellow, but got enough on our hands without him.”
“Oh, no! When I pledged them my word I would assist them!”
Freddy sighed.
“And then there is myself!” Kitty said. “I can’t tell how it has come about, but I have done nothing of what I intended! Freddy, we must not continue in this fashion! It was very wrong of me ever to ask such a thing of you! Wrong, and so foolish that I am amazed at myself! Only see what has come of it!”
“Dash it, Kit, thought you was enjoying yourself!” said Freddy, a little hurt.
She turned impulsively towards him. “Oh, it has been the most delightful thing that ever happened to me!” she said. “I shall remember it my whole life long! I never was so happy! But it must end. On that I am resolved! We must consider what is best to be done.”