“You don't look as if anything bothered you,” she said.
“It's possible,” Charnock agreed. “I suppose I'm lucky because I have nothing much to bother about.”
“You wouldn't bother about it, anyhow. You leave that kind of thing to me.”
Charnock gave her a quick glance. She was not angry, which was something of a relief, because Sadie was difficult when she let herself go. Besides, he was not conscious of having done anything to vex her since he gave Wilkinson the cheque. But she looked resolute.
“I've a good excuse,” he answered. “I've got a remarkably capable wife.”
“We'll cut out the compliments. I don't think you have seen any of the boys from the settlement since Festing left.”
Charnock said he had not done so, and she gave him a thoughtful look.
“I suppose you can't remember when you last did something useful; something that would help somebody else?”
“It's a painful confession, but I can't remember. Still I've some experience of being helped along a way I didn't want to go, which leads me to believe it's often kinder to leave folks alone.”
“Anyhow, you have done some harm.”