“But when the estate was settled, should it not have gone in with the other claims?”
“It's not a debt in that sense; please don't place me in the position of a creditor!”
Virginia wished to do him full justice, yet she rather resented that she had not known of this before. His silence was a mistaken kindness; for had he spoken sooner, Anna would have met her share of this debt. With the feeling she had of the melting away of the fortune, this even was a matter of some moment. Benson, watching her narrowly, conjectured much of what was passing in her mind.
“Let us dismiss the whole matter!” he said. “I wish I had not told you. It is quite unimportant.”
“I fear I have never quite appreciated the full extent of your kindness.” she said, “nor how fond you were of Stephen, your friendship for him. I must have seemed very unreasonable to you in many ways, at first.”
Benson was silent. He feared to speak. He felt he could not continue in the false position in which she was placing him.
“You will let me return what you have expended,” Virginia continued.
“Do you find the obligation so irksome?” he asked, with a touch of exasperation in his tone.
“Any obligation must be irksome when one is so uncertain as to how it is to be met!”
“But you see that it has not worried me!”