Page:The Fruit of the Tree (Wharton 1907).djvu/219

Rh “Of course, of course I don’t want to do them injustice!”

“Well, then”

He had seated himself beside her again, clasping in his the hand with which she was fretting the lace—edged sheet. He felt her restless ﬁngers surrender slowly, and her eyes turned to him in appeal.

“But I care for what people say of you too! And you know—it’s horrid, but one must consider it—if they say you’re spending my money imprudently…” The blood rose to her neck and face. “I don’t mind for myself … even if I have to give up as many things as papa and Mr. Tredegar think … but there is Cicely … and if people said …”

“If people said I was spending Cicely’s money on improving the condition of the people to whose work she will some day owe all her wealth—” Amherst paused: “Well, I would rather hear that said of me than any other thing I can think of, except one.”

“Except what?”

“That I was doing it with her mother’s help and approval.”

She drew a long tremulous sigh: he knew it was always a relief to her to have him assert himself strongly. But a residue of resistance still clouded her mind.

“I should always want to help you, of course; but if [ 203 ]