“If I sold all I have got, the sum I could invest would not carry me far, and since I’m not much attracted, I’d hesitate to face the risk. Then, if I took a post, I imagine the pay would be small, and so long as I’m not extravagant I can meet my bills.”
“You might resolve to marry. When one is married one’s bills go up.”
“It’s possible,” Ledward agreed in a careless voice. “So far, I have not thought much about marriage.”
“Suppose I offered you a good post?”
“That’s another thing. I’d weigh your offer.”
“Very well! I’m getting old and begin to feel I need help. Although I can buy help, I want a man I know, whose interests would be mine. At one time I thought I might use Kit, and by and by he might carry on the forge, but I saw the plan would not work.”
Ledward thought his luck was good. Jasper was not looking for a clerk; he implied he wanted a man who would take control when he was forced to let things go. In fact, he really wanted something like an heir. Kit was his relation, but he had not taken the proper line and now Jasper hinted that he had done with him. All the same, one must use some caution.
“The difficulty is, I am not an engineer.”
“At Oxford you were a mathematician, and I want help to handle rather complicated finance. If you are willing, I’ll try you out.”
“I’m keen, sir,” Ledward replied.