"Because I wouldn't let him make it—I've got some pride if you haven't."
"Your pride doesn't stop you taking what ought to have been mine."
"'Ought to'.... I never heard such words. Not that I'm pleased he should make it all over to me, but it ain't my doing."
Ellen looked at her fixedly out of her eyes which were like the shallow floods.
"Are you quite sure? Are you quite sure, Joanna, that you honestly played a sister's part by me while I was away?"
"What d'you mean?"
"I mean, Arthur seems to have got a lot fonder of you while I was away than he—er—seemed to be before."
Joanna gaped at her.
"Of course it was only natural," continued Ellen smoothly—"I know I treated him badly—but don't you think you needn't have taken advantage of that?"
"Well, I'm beat ... look here, Ellen ... that man was mine from the first, and I gave him over to you, and I never took him back nor wanted him, neither."