"Burton," Julia screamed, "who and what is this person?"
The contempt in her tone, even more than her disdainful phrasing, brought the blood racing to his forehead. "Julia!" He seemed to defy her to go on. "If you have read my letters at all," he said in a vibrant voice, "you know both who Miss Kent is and how much I am in her debt."
"Miss Kent! Your father's friend!"
"And mine as well, Julia." There was no ecstatic tenderness now in his use of her name, but indignant sternness.
"Burton, either you are insane or the woman is an impostor. She is not old. She is young, hardly more than a girl."
Forbes attempted to reply, but for a moment no words came. He put his hand to his forehead with a confused gesture. "I have been off in the woods with Miss Kent all day," he stammered. "I supposed—I had not noticed—" Again he turned in Agatha's direction. "Who are you, please?"
There was no trace of emotion in her composed answer. "I am Agatha Kent."
"Do you dare to say," shrieked Julia, "that you were the friend of Mr. Forbes' father?"
"I never saw Mr. Forbes' father."