"She has told me herself, Janey. She may have more reasons than you know."
"She has none, none that I don't know. They're all there in that letter which you've burnt. Can't you see why it was written?"
"Does it matter why?"
"Yes, it does matter. It was written to make you give Kitty up. There's no reason why I should spare the woman who wrote it. She hates Kitty—because she wanted you for herself. Kitty knows that she's slandered her. She did it before she went, to her face, and Kitty forgave her. And now the poor child thinks that she'll let you go, and just creep away quietly and hide herself—from that. And you'll let her do it? You believe her when she says she doesn't care for you? If that isn't caring— Why it's because she cares for you, and cares for your honour more than she does for her own, poor darling——"
"I know, Janey. And she knows I know."
"Then where's your precious honour if you don't stand up for her? She's got nobody but you, and if you don't defend her from that sort of thing——"
She stood before him, flaming, and Kitty rose and put herself between them.
"He can't defend me, Janey. It's the truth."