He was good about cheering me up, saying he had too much faith in his friend's courage and skill as a yachtsman to be very anxious, though the delay was odd.
Then, suddenly he broke out with a strange question.
"Would it hurt you if anything should happen to Rudolph Brederode?"
I was so surprised that I could hardly answer at first. Then I said that of course it would hurt me, for I liked and admired the Jonkheer, and considered him my friend.
"I have no right to ask," he went on, "but I do beg you to say if it is only as a friend you like Rudolph."
That startled me, for I was afraid things I had done might have been misunderstood, owing to the difference of ways in Holland.
"Why," I stammered, "are you going to warn me not to care for him, because he doesn't care for me? How dreadful!"
Nell's cousin Robert looked so pale, I was afraid he must be ill. He put up his hand and pushed his hair back from his forehead, and then began pacing about the room.
"Rudolph must care—he shall care, if you wish it," he said.
"Oh," I exclaimed, "I didn't mean it was dreadful if he didn't care; but if you thought I did."