"He must have had some motive in writing this letter--a not unkindly motive either.

He must be aware of some strong reason for it when he tells you to 'defend yourself.' He forgets." added Christian's husband, tenderly, "that now there is some body else to do it for you." Christian burst into tears.

All her forlorn, unprotected youth, the more forlorn that in her father's lifetime it was under a certain hollow sham of protection; the total desolation afterward, exposed to every insult of the bitter world, or at least that bitter portion of it which is always ready to trample down a woman if she is helpless, and to hunt her down if she is strong enough to help herself--all this was gone by forever.
She was afraid of nothing any more.

She did not need to defend herself again.

She had been taken out of all her misery, and placed in the safe shelter of a good man's love.