“I’ve watched you when you thought you were alone, and seen how dreadfully sad and broken you looked, and I know it’s because I’ve made you lose all your money—isn’t it?”
A something eloquently full of tragedy and sorrow in her voice stung Eliphalet to a sudden need to lie.
“God bless my soul!” he exclaimed. “Whatever put such a fancy into your silly little head?”
“Because it’s true.”
“My dear, dear, dear little girl, you are talking nonsense. I have been sad, I confess it; but my sorrow was for you—I feared you had suffered a great disappointment.”
“D’you mean that?”
“Surely.”
“And you’ll be all right after this?”
He laughed lightly.
“I shouldn’t worry about that.”