Her
eyes glittered like emeralds. She was possessed by such a fury of hatred
as made her scarcely recognizable.
Scott looked at her steadily for a moment or two. Then: "But it does you
more harm than good to say so," he said. "And it doesn't answer my
question, does it? Dinah, if you don't feel that you can do this thing
for your own sake, won't you do it for Isabel's? She is needing you badly
just now."
The vindictive look went out of Dinah's face. Her eyes softened, and he
saw the hopeless tears well up again. "But I couldn't help her any more,"
she said.
"The very fact of having you to care for would help her," Scott said.
Dinah shook her head. She was sitting on the ground with her hands
clasped round her knees. As the tears splashed down again, she turned her
face away.
"It wouldn't help her, it wouldn't help anybody, to have me as I am now,"
she said. "I can't tell you--I can't explain. But--I am not fit to
associate with anyone good."
Scott leaned towards her. "Dinah, my dear, you are torturing yourself,"
he said. "It's natural, I know. You have had no sleep, and you have cried
yourself ill. But I am not going to give in to you. I am not going to
take No for an answer. You have no plans for yourself, and I doubt if in
your present state you are capable of forming any. Isabel wants you, and
it would be cruel to disappoint her. So you and I will join her at Great
Mallowes this afternoon.
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