Though nothing like a warm friendship existed between her and Emma, she sympathised, in a way impossible to Richard, with the sorrows of the abandoned girl.

She was conscious of what her judgment would be if another man had acted thus; and though this was not so much a matter of consciousness, she felt that Richard might have spoken in a way more calculated to aid her in taking his side.

She wished, in fact, to see only his advantage, and was very much tempted to see everything but that.
'But you can't keep her in the dark any longer,' she urged.

'Why, it's cruel!' 'I can't tell her,' he repeated monotonously.
Alice drew in her feet.

It symbolised retiring within her defences.