"Oh, Hester, forgive me!" He knelt on the floor by her side, caressing her imploringly.

"We both take fire in the same way.

We are both driven crazy by this damned blow.
We're beaten; we may as well own it and take what we can get.

She's a fool, but she's better than that pompous, stiff brute Walderhurst, and she has a lot of pull over him he knows nothing about.

The smug animal is falling in love with her in his way.