"I understand."
"Anything he tells you, about signing papers, and such things, you may be sure is all right."
"Yes."
"But don't do anything, without consulting me, for anybody else, remember."
"I'll remember," I said absently and humbly. It was no wonder Richard felt I needed somebody to take care of me!
"I believe there's nothing else I wanted to say to you," he said at last, moving from the mantelpiece where he had been standing; "at least, nothing that I can't write about, when it occurs to me."
"Oh, Richard!" I said, beginning to cry again, as I knew that the moment of parting had come, "I don't understand you at all. I think you take it very calm."
"Isn't that the way to take it?" he said, in a voice that was, certainly, very calm indeed.
I looked up in his face: he was ten years older. I really was frightened at the change in him.
"Oh!" I exclaimed, putting my face down in my hands, "I wasn't worth all I've made you suffer."