Mary put her hand gently on her sister's arm to lead her from the room.
Ally shook off the hand and turned on her in hysteric fury.
"Stop pawing me—you! How dare you touch me after what you've said.
Steven—she says I took Essy's lover from her."
"I didn't, Ally. She doesn't know what she's saying."
"You did say it. She did, Steven. She said I ought to thank Essy for not splitting on me when I took her lover from her. As if she could talk when she took Steven from Gwenda."
"Oh—Steven!"
Rowcliffe shook his head at Mary, frowning, as a sign to her not to mind what Alice said.
"You treat me as if I was dirt, but I'd have died rather than have done what she did."
"Come, Alice, come. You know you don't mean it," said Rowcliffe, utterly gentle.
"I do mean it! She sneaked you from behind Gwenda's back and lied to you to make you think she didn't care for you——"