I am sorry to say'-- she looked with painful anxiety from one to the other of her hearers--'this has turned him against your brother, and--' Her voice was checked by agitation.
'We were afraid of this,' said Dora, in a tone of sympathy.
'Jasper feared it might be the case,' added Maud, more coldly, though with friendliness.
'Why I speak of it at all,' Marian hastened to say, 'is because I am so afraid it should make a difference between yourselves and me.' 'Oh! don't think that!' Dora exclaimed.
'I am so ashamed,' Marian went on in an uncertain tone, 'but I think it will be better if I don't ask you to come and see me.

It sounds ridiculous; it is ridiculous and shameful.

I couldn't complain if you refused to have anything more to do with me.' 'Don't let it trouble you,' urged Maud, with perhaps a trifle more of magnanimity in her voice than was needful.

We quite understand.

Indeed, it shan't make any difference to us.' But Marian had averted her face, and could not meet these assurances with any show of pleasure.