"Don't try to pretend.

There is no mistake, and every one must know soon about Lettice.

Whoever it was who nearly caught you made a mistake, for she thought it was me, and Miss Richards wrote to father accusing me, but, of course--" "Accusing you!" cried Anna in astonishment.

But her voice had changed.
It was less full of terror than it had been.

For a moment after Kitty ceased speaking she sat lost in thought.
"Of course father does not believe it, and he has written to tell Miss Richards so, and that I was at home all the evening, so there would have to be an inquiry of course, to try and find out which of the other girls it was, and everybody would have to know all about it; but now, when you tell Miss Richards that it was you, it needn't go any farther.
Of course there will be a row, and probably you and Lettice will be punished, but no one else need ever hear anything more about it." "Oh, but I couldn't!" cried Anna.