“My dear girl, don’t refine too much upon it. There is no need, I assure you.”
She cast him a look of gratitude, and left the room.
“You were not very generous, were you, Eugenia?” said Mr. Rivenhall.
“I consider her behavior unpardonable.”
“It is unnecessary to tell me so; you made it plain enough that you thought so.”
Her bosom swelled. “I did not think to hear you take her part against me, Charles!”
“I have not done so, but the fault was not all hers. You had no right to take her to task, Eugenia, much less to repeat whatever ill-considered words I may have uttered! I am not surprised she was so angry. I have a temper myself!”
“You do not seem to consider the agony of mortification I have been obliged to suffer! What Mama would say if she knew — ”
“Oh, enough, enough!” he said impatiently. “You make too much of it! Let us, for heaven’s sake, forget it!”
She was offended, but she saw that to persist would lower her in his eyes. It annoyed her to think that she had shown to less advantage than Sophy in the little scene that had been enacted. She forced herself to smile, and say magniloquently, “You are right. I have allowed myself to be too much moved. Please assure your cousin that I shall not think of the matter again!”