“What on earth will they think? O, Philip, I’m so sorry to lie here and do nothing and have you plan and look out for every thing. But I feel too sick even to fret.”
“Depend on it, they will think that we have had good common sense and certainly the best of reasons for taking the hint that this big open house of theirs gave us. O, I’m not afraid of the Probascos!” he returned, in honest unconcern. “One can see what sort of people they are. I’m only too anxious for the pleasure of their acquaintance. As for your lying there, why, there’s nothing for you to do if you had six legs and could walk on all of them! And I am certainly glad if you don’t ‘worry.’ What’s the use of worrying?”
“Are those letters you spoke of written?”
“All ready; and two telegrams with them, to send by the first hand that comes along. (Fancy a hand coming along by itself! I don’t think I’d care to shake it.)”
But Gerald’s imagination could not be interested. He mused. Then he murmured, “Poor papa!” with another nervous turn of his body. “Give me another swallow of water, please, Philip.” He drank thirstily. “Cold, isn’t it? I guess papa has found out by this time that I’m rather more to him than the yacht or his new racing team.”
He did not speak bitterly. It was evidently not a complaint with him that his father, and only near relative in the world, seemed to regard him so carelessly. He was used to it. He neither compared the portion of affection that fell to him in life with that given to others nor with his due.
“O, stuff!” returned Philip, shaking up the spare pillow. “He’s not to find that out now, take my word for it! You’ve always been a great deal more to your father than you’ve given credit for. He’s like lots of other city men. He keeps his soft side inside, a little too much, perhaps. More than the new racing team! You ought to be ashamed of yourself!”
“You don’t know my father,” returned Gerald.
“And you, old fellow, don’t understand him. From what you tell me I’m pretty sure he’s exactly one of those fathers who can’t say half what he wants to any son. I’ve heard of them before.”