Oh, what trouble we are giving you, and we have no right!" and here Elizabeth turned her head away in pained confusion.
She had said the wrong thing.

Why did not Dinah come to her assistance and say some word of grateful acknowledgment?
"You have every right to use me as you will," returned Malcolm in a low voice, "for I have done nothing to forfeit your friendship." And with a dreary attempt at a smile--"A friend is born for adversity." Then Elizabeth rose from her kneeling position, but she did not answer--perhaps she could not, for Malcolm's worn face and sad, kind eyes seemed to bring a sudden lump to her throat.

How good he was--how generous and forgiving and unselfish! She longed to take his hand and bid God bless him; but she could not trust herself or him.

"It has gone too deep," she said with inward wonder, for Elizabeth was truly humble in her estimation of herself.

Dinah was too much wrapped up in her own troubled thoughts to notice Elizabeth's emotion.
"Will you tell me what you mean to do ?" she asked anxiously, for Malcolm had risen too as though he intended to take his leave.