"You have been in possession of this estate almost a year," he said, "so I hope, indeed I assume, that the making of a will is not what you have neglected?"
"But it is."
Rather an awkward thing this to be said to the heir-at-law. He paused for a moment, then remarked, "I met just now, driving away from your door, the very man who read to us our grandmother's will."
"I have been telling him that he shall make one for me forthwith."
"When I consider that you have many claims," said John, "and consider further that your property is all land, I wonder at your——"
"My neglect. Yes, I knew you would say so."
"When shall this be done then?"
"To-morrow."
Then Valentine began to talk of other matters, and he expressed, with a directness certainly not called for, his regret that John Mortimer should have made the sacrifices he had acknowledged to, in order eventually to withdraw his name and interest altogether from his banking affairs.
John was evidently surprised, but he took Valentine's remarks good-humouredly.