“You rather force my hand,” he said coldly.
“You mean you accept the inheritance?” asked Nicholas eagerly. His eagerness was almost too blatant.
“I will accept it,” replied Antony dispassionately, “and will see justice done to your tenants. It will not be incumbent on me to make personal use of your money.”
Nicholas let that pass.
“And for the present?” he asked.
“Concerning the matter of the contract,” said Antony stiffly, “I would point out to you that I undertook to work for you for a year as Michael Field, gardener. Well, I will abide by that contract, and prolong it if necessary.” He did not say till the day of Nicholas’s death. But Nicholas understood his meaning.
“I trust you consider that I am now treating you fairly,” said Antony still stiffly, and after a slight pause.
Nicholas bowed his head.
“Fairly, yes,” he said in an odd, almost pathetic voice, “but hardly—shall we call it—as a friend.”
Antony looked suddenly amazed.