--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Before his death your father begged a…" description: "\"“Before his death your father begged a promise from me. He made me swear that I would look after you and your mother.” “And you have,” she insisted. He..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41e/kathryn-smith-7789_death_before-his-death-your-father-begged-a-pr_1820451.jpg" --- # Before his death your father begged a promise from me. He… ![“Before his death your father begged a promise from me. He made me swear that I would look after you and your mother.” “And you have,” she insisted. He held up his hand to prevent her from saying more. “And made me give my word that I would never touch you in any manner other than brotherly.”…” quote by Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41e/kathryn-smith-7789_death_before-his-death-your-father-begged-a-pr_1820451.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41e/kathryn-smith-7789_death_before-his-death-your-father-begged-a-pr_1820451.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41e/kathryn-smith-7789_death_before-his-death-your-father-begged-a-pr_1820451.jpg) > ““Before his death your father begged a promise from me. He made me swear that I would look after you and your mother.” “And you have,” she insisted. He held up his hand to prevent her from saying more. “And made me give my word that I would never touch you in any manner other than brotherly.” Another rueful smile. “So you see, I preferred being able to pretend that I had kept my promise rather than face the truth of breaking my word.” He broke her heart, damn him. “He made me promise not to become attached to you,” she confided, continuing with the evening’s truthful trend. “It seems Papa saw something that neither one of us did.” “Oh, I saw it. I’ve seen it since you were eighteen years old and we danced together at some insipid ball. I don’t remember where it was, or the day of the week, but I remember that you wore a pale tea-colored gown with Belgian lace, and that you had pearls in your hair.” She couldn’t breathe. The tilt of his lips, the bleakness of his gaze, it was all too horrible. “And you wore a red cravat,” she whispered. “I thought you looked so rakish in it.” “I was rakish,” he admitted. “Your father knew that.”” [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A man promised to protect a woman, but his actions betray that promise, leading to heartbreak and revealed secrets. **In simple terms:** Broken promises cause pain and reveal hidden truths. Key Takeaway Beware of empty vows; honor commitments. Themes betrayal family secrets love trust Mood sad reflective tense Type narrative dramatic emotional When to use this quote - marriage counseling - family therapy - conflict resolution - personal reflection Key Concepts promise honor deception memory identity Questions to Reflect On - Can you trust someone who has broken a promise? - How do hidden pasts affect present relationships? A Different Perspective Promises may be made under pressure and later broken despite good intentions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Begged Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/begged-promise-2189812/) [Damn Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/damn-promise-2189814/) [Death](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/death/) [Father Begged](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/father-begged-2189813/) [Gaze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gaze/) [Kept Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kept-promise-1447183/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Promise Swear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise-swear-786043/) ## Related quotes > [“Thomas stood up to pace around the little room, fuming with an intense desire to keep his promise. 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"Because there isn't anything I believe in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/you-promise-i-swear-on-the-angel-the-hell-with-that-i-swear-on-us-why/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“I think everything that happened in Idris-Valentine, Max, Hodge, even Sebastian-I kept shoving it all down, trying to forget, but it's catching up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-think-everything-that-happened-in-idris-valentine-max-hodge-even/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [“I never want to hurt you, Red,” he whispers. “Don’t let me hurt you, okay?” “You haven’t,” I assure, running my hands through his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-mclean/i-never-want-to-hurt-you-red-he-whispers-don-t-let-me-hurt-you-okay/) [Jay McLean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-mclean/) > [“Temptation turns you. 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Now that we broke up I think it's time you kept your promise.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-we-were-together-you-always-said-you-d-die-for-me-now-that-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I love you, too... I won't ever leave you again. I promise. I kept that promise. For love him I did. For nearly two…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-donnelly/i-love-you-too-i-won-t-ever-leave-you-again-i-promise-i-kept-that/) [Jennifer Donnelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-donnelly/) > [“She doesn’t want to think of that woman, not now. She’s just one more person who hasn’t kept her promise; just one more person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helen-humphreys/she-doesn-t-want-to-think-of-that-woman-not-now-she-s-just-one-more/) [Helen Humphreys](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helen-humphreys/) > [All my life; I've said that I would never settle for less than I deserved. Well. I kept to my promise. I never settled…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-morasco/all-my-life-i-ve-said-that-i-would-never-settle-for-less-than-i/) [Jessica Morasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-morasco/) > [“I had kept my promise; I had found him. It took weeks of after-work roaming through those Spanish Harlem streets, and there were many…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/i-had-kept-my-promise-i-had-found-him-it-took-weeks-of-after-work/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) ## More by Kathryn Smith > [“She knew how to play him so very well. He slipped his hand around hers. "Friends," he repeated roughly. Her smile was bright enough…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/she-knew-how-to-play-him-so-very-well-he-slipped-his-hand-around-hers/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) > [“Rose barely poured herself a cup of hot, mouth-watering chocolate, when she saw Grey and Archer walking across the lawn. 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I spoke…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/grey-was-here-he-hadn-t-known-that-was-obvious-from-the-way-his-eyes/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) > [“Does your husband dictate where you can and cannot go?” The woman looked as though she expected to be proven right. “My husband would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/does-your-husband-dictate-where-you-can-and-cannot-go-the-woman/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) > [“That was delightful.” Grey chuckled, flashing a lopsided grin that made his eyes sparkle like aquamarines. “You make me feel…” “Yes?” He shook his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/that-was-delightful-grey-chuckled-flashing-a-lopsided-grin-that-made/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) > [“Oh, ho!” his brother cried, clasping him close in a fierce embrace. “Did you think you’d escape without saying hello?” Then, for Grey’s ears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/oh-ho-his-brother-cried-clasping-him-close-in-a-fierce-embrace-did/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) > [“In fact, the only people he let anywhere near him were his family and her. 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Perhaps you will discover between the pages other activities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/voluptuous-grey-smiled-at-the-naughty-light-in-her-gaze-a-full/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) > [“And if she were an honest woman, which she was known to be on occasion, she could readily admit that hearing about his escapades…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/and-if-she-were-an-honest-woman-which-she-was-known-to-be-on-occasion/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) > [“Trust me, Mr. Maxwell.” No more Christian name familiarity for him! “Greyden Kane has never had to ‘overwhelm’ anyone.” He was overwhelming enough on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/trust-me-mr-maxwell-no-more-christian-name-familiarity-for-him/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) > [“What is there about me that makes me the least bit desirable?” She wasn’t fishing, she truly wanted to know. Right now she didn’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/what-is-there-about-me-that-makes-me-the-least-bit-desirable-she-wasn/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) > [“There’s just one thing I don’t understand,” she remarked, setting the periodical aside for a moment. “And that is?” She tucked her skirts around…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/there-s-just-one-thing-i-don-t-understand-she-remarked-setting-the/) [Kathryn Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) [Explore all 87 Kathryn Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-smith/) ## More Death quotes > [“He wondered how it was fair that your dying should depend so much on when you were born.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/he-wondered-how-it-was-fair-that-your-dying-should-depend-so-much-on/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [What sets worlds in motion is the interplay of differences, their attractions and repulsions. 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He held up his hand to prevent her from saying more. “And made me give my word that I would never touch you in any manner other than brotherly.” Another rueful smile. “So you see, I preferred being able to pretend that I had kept my promise rather than face the truth of breaking my word.” He broke her heart, damn him. “He made me promise not to become attached to you,” she confided, continuing with the evening’s truthful trend. “It seems Papa saw something that neither one of us did.” “Oh, I saw it. I’ve seen it since you were eighteen years old and we danced together at some insipid ball. I don’t remember where it was, or the day of the week, but I remember that you wore a pale tea-colored gown with Belgian lace, and that you had pearls in your hair.” She couldn’t breathe. The tilt of his lips, the bleakness of his gaze, it was all too horrible. “And you wore a red cravat,” she whispered. “I thought you looked so rakish in it.” “I was rakish,” he admitted. “Your father knew that.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kathryn Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/before-his-death-your-father-begged-a-promise-from-me-he-made-me/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Death" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-smith/before-his-death-your-father-begged-a-promise-from-me-he-made-me/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41e/kathryn-smith-7789_death_before-his-death-your-father-begged-a-pr_1820451.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41e/kathryn-smith-7789_death_before-his-death-your-father-begged-a-pr_1820451.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/41e/kathryn-smith-7789_death_before-his-death-your-father-begged-a-pr_1820451.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Before his death your father begged a promise from me. 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