The strange part of it is, I don't think Thomas wants to be defended.

A few minutes ago he came to me and told me what he had done.
He is leaving." The anger went out of her eyes, snuffed--candle-wise.

"Leaving ?" "Leaving.

He asked me for the motor to the station." "Leaving! Well, that's about the only possible thing he could do, under the circumstances.

He has a good excuse." Excuse! Kitty's nimble mind reached out and touched Thomas' Machiavellian inspiration.
"Hang it, Kitty, I had to run out into the lilacs to laugh! Can't this be smoothed over some way?
I like that boy; I don't care if he is a Britisher and sometimes as simple as a fool.