"Yes, you did, Alice. I know what you thought; you thought that Lady Midlothian was making a tool of me that I might bring you under her thumb, so that she might bully you into Mr. Grey's arms. That's what you thought. I don't know that I was at all entitled to your good opinion, but I was not entitled to that special bad opinion."
"I had no bad opinion;--but it was so necessary that I should guard myself."

"Yes, you did, Alice. You thought that Lady Midlothian was making a tool of me so that I might bring you under her thumb."
"But it was so necessary that I should guard myself," pleaded Alice.
