He reseated himself, and did not rise when Hester entered, but slewed his chair around, nodded gloomily in response to her slight bow, and, tapping his knees with a paper-knife, treated her to a long, deliberate stare.
"Take a seat, please."
Hester obeyed with a quiet 'Thank you.'
"You have come, I believe, in answer to a letter of my father's? Might I ask you what he said, exactly?"
Hester's hand went towards her pocket, but paused. She had taken an instant aversion from this man.
"My father," he went on, noting her hesitation, "has since died suddenly, as you know. His affairs are in some confusion, of course." This was untrue, but Mr. Sam had no consciousness of telling a lie. The phrase was commonly used of dead men's affairs. "In this matter of your engagement, for instance, I am moving in the dark. I can find no record of it among his papers."
"I answered him, sir; but my letter arrived, it seems, after his death. Mr. Benny replied to it."
"Yes, to be sure, I saw your letter, but it did not tell me how far the negotiations had gone."
"You are one of the Managers, sir?"
"Well, not precisely; but you will find that makes little difference. I am to be placed on the Board as my father's successor."