"If so, my word must be sufficient."
But it was not sufficient. She longed to extract from him some repeated and prolonged assurance which might bring satisfaction to her own mind. "I am glad, at any rate, to hear that there is no truth in that suspicion." To this he would not condescend to reply, but sat glowering at her as though in wrath that any question should be asked him about his private concerns. "You must feel, Fred, for your uncle in such a matter. You must know how important this is to him. You have heard what he has already suffered; and you must know too that he has endeavoured to be very good to you."
"I do know that he has,—been very good to me."
"Perhaps you are angry with me for interfering." He would not deny that he was angry. "I should not do so were it not that your uncle is ill and suffering."
"You have asked me a question and I have answered it. I do not know what more you want of me."
"Will you say that there is no truth in all this that Lady Mary says?"
"Lady Mary is an impertinent old maid."
"If you were in your uncle's place, and if you had an heir as to whose character in the world you were anxious, you would not think anyone impertinent who endeavoured for the sake of friendship to save your name and family from a disreputable connexion."
"I have made no disreputable connexion. I will not allow the word disreputable to be used in regard to any of my friends."
"You do know people of the name of O'Hara?"