"Trust us to do that," said Roche. After a moment he added: "To refer again to selling the estate you would get very little for it. It can't depreciate much more, and there is always the chance it may improve. Some of the people are quite willing to work—"
"ARE they? They've not shown any willingness to me."
"Oh, no. They wouldn't."
"What? Not to their landlord?"
"You'd be the LAST they'd show it to. They're strange people in many ways until you get to know them. Now there are many natural resources that might be developed if some capital were put into them."
"My new steward discouraged me about doing that. He said it might be ten years before I got a penny out."
"Your NEW steward?"
"Andrew McPherson."
"The lawyer?"
"Yes"