“And you don’t feel annoyed at the obligation, eh?” asked Fred, rather bewildered.
“I don’t see any obligation,” said she quietly.
“Oh, don’t you? Well, most people would consider it one.”
“How much does he owe you?”
“Oh, only a matter of forty or fifty pounds.”
He thought the amount would astonish and distress her; but as, apparently, it failed to do either, he hastened to add—
“Of course, that’s a mere nothing; but he let me know, a day or two ago, that he should want a much larger loan, and of course, I informed him he could have it for the asking.”
She did wince at that; but the manner in which she resented his impertinence was scarcely to his taste.
“And you think the obligation is on our side?” she said, sweetly, but with a tremor of subdued anger in her voice. “What have you done except to lend my father a few pounds, which you would never have missed, even if you had thrown them into a well instead of lent them to an honorable man! While he, by accepting the loan, has given you a chance of putting on patronizing airs towards a man in every respect your superior.”
“All right—all right! Go on! Vernon Brander shall pay for this!” snarled Fred, at last rendered thoroughly savage by her contempt.