Reginald could not stand the smile which accompanied this observation, and said, somewhat hotly,—
“Look here, Mr Richmond, if you will say what you’ve got to say without laughing and speaking disrespectfully of my father, we shall be glad.”
“Certainly, Master Cruden,” said the lawyer, a trifle disconcerted by this unexpected interruption. Then turning to the widow he continued,—
“The fact is, madam, the late Mr Cruden was, I fear, under the impression that he was considerably better off than he was.”
Mr Richmond paused as if for a reply, but as no one spoke he continued,—
“I am sorry to say this appears to have been the case to a much larger extent than even I imagined. Your late husband, Mrs Cruden, I believe spent largely on his estate here, and unfortunately kept no accounts. I have frequently entreated him to reckon over his expenditure, but he always replied that it was considerably under his income, and that there was no need, as long as that was the case, to trouble himself about it.”
A nervous movement among his listeners was the only reply the lawyer received to this last announcement, or to the smile which accompanied it.
“Mr Cruden may have been correct in his conjecture, madam, although I fear the contrary.”
“If my father said a thing,” blurted out Reginald at this point, “I see no reason for doubting his word.”
“None in the least, my dear Master Cruden; but unfortunately your father did not know either what his income was or what his expenditure was.”