‘So it is. That is the worst of it. It is so much out of what he would have had with Theodora, and little enough there is for her. A dead loss! Could not Arthur have had more sense, at his age, and with all those children! What’s all this?’ reading on in dismay. ‘Seven thousand more at least! I’ll have nothing to do with it!’
An hour after, John came out into the verandah, where Percy was reading, and asked if he knew where Arthur was.
‘He got into a ferment of anxiety, and Violet persuaded him to walk it off. He is gone out with Johnnie and Helen. Well, how has he fared?’
‘Not as well as I could wish. My father will not do more towards the debts than paying you.’
‘Ho! I hope he does not think I acted very impertinently towards him?’ John laughed, and Percy continued,
‘Seriously, I believe it is the impertinence hardest to forgive, and I shall be glad when the subject is done with. That will be so much off Arthur’s mind.’
‘I wish more was; but I had no idea that there was so little available money amongst us. All I can gain in his favour is, that the estate is to be charged with five hundred pounds a year for Violet in case of his death; and there’s his five thousand pounds for the children; but, for the present debts, my father will only say that, perhaps he may help, if he sees that Arthur is exerting himself to economize and pay them off.’
‘Quite as much as could reasonably be expected. The discipline will be very good for him.’
‘If it does not kill him,’ said John, sighing. ‘My father does not realize the shock to his health. He is in the state now that I was in when we went abroad, and—’
‘And I firmly believe that if you had had anything to do but nurse your cough, you would have been in much better health.’