The next was Richard's, when he came in late to wish her good-night, after he had been attending on Sir Matthew's examination of his father's arm.

He did nothing but admire the surgeon's delicacy of touch and understanding of the case, his view agreeing much better with Dr.May's own than that with Mr.Ward's.
Dr.May had never been entirely satisfied with the present mode of treatment, and Richard was much struck by hearing him say, in answer to Sir Matthew, that he knew his recovery might have been more speedy and less painful if he had been able to attend to it at first, or to afford time for being longer laid up.

A change of treatment was now to be made, likely soon to relieve the pain, to be less tedious and troublesome, and to bring about a complete cure in three or four months at latest.
In hearing such tidings, there could be little thought of the person who brought them, and Margaret did not, till the last moment, learn that Richard thought Sir Matthew very clever and sensible, and certain to understand her case.

Her last visitor was her father: "Asleep, Margaret?
I thought I had better go to Norman first in case he should be awake." "Was he ?" "Yes, but his pulse is better to-night.

He was lying awake to hear what Fleet thought of me.