This confirmed some of Mrs. Broadwood's suspicions; but the matter was still far from clear.
"The Colonel would be very mad about the mortgage," she said. "Still, it's Gerald's land, and he can do what he likes with it."
"Not altogether. He's bound by the settlement covenant, and, as his father gave him the land, he ought to respect his opinions. Mowbray's convinced that to let in strangers would be hurtful to Allenwood."
While feeling sure that Gerald was the cause of the Mowbrays' troubles, Mrs. Broadwood did not think that Beatrice would marry a man she did not care for in order to benefit the settlement. There must be another reason.
"Suppose Gerald had already mortgaged his farm and wanted some more money, how would he borrow it?"
"He'd find it hard, as he has no security to offer," Broadwood answered with a smile. "I don't know much about these matters, and don't want to know anything more, but I believe the usual plan is something like this: you give the lender a note, an engagement to pay in, we'll say, three months, and get somebody to endorse it. His putting down his name makes him liable for the amount, and if the lender was satisfied about him, he'd give you the money at once and take off as much interest as he could."
"But who'd guarantee Gerald in that way?"
"I don't know. I certainly would not."
"He would have to be a man who was known to have money," she persisted.
"I suppose so; it would naturally make the transaction easier. But it's not our business to pry into the Mowbrays' affairs."