“Ah yes. When you are separated I suppose you write volumes to each other. But he must have a great many business letters.”
“It is very likely,” said Bernard. “And if he has, you may be sure he writes them.”
“Order and method!” Mrs. Vivian exclaimed. “With his immense property those virtues are necessary.”
Bernard glanced at her a moment.
“My dear Lovelock,” he said to himself, “you are not such a fool as you seem.—Gordon’s virtues are always necessary, doubtless,” he went on. “But should you say his property was immense?”
Mrs. Vivian made a delicate little movement of deprecation. “Oh, don’t ask me to say! I know nothing about it; I only supposed he was rich.”
“He is rich; but he is not a Croesus.”
“Oh, you fashionable young men have a standard of luxury!” said Mrs. Vivian, with a little laugh. “To a poverty-stricken widow such a fortune as Mr. Wright’s seems magnificent.”
“Don’t call me such horrible names!” exclaimed Bernard. “Our friend has certainly money enough and to spare.”
“That was all I meant. He once had occasion to allude to his property, but he was so modest, so reserved in the tone he took about it, that one hardly knew what to think.”