“He goes to your village in the country. He sits and talks with the people. He pretends that he goes to see how the old man is getting on. But it is really to find out all he can about the property.”
“What has he to do with the property?”
“He wants to find out what is to become of all the money.”
“Does he think that the rustics can tell him?”
“I don’t know. You see, his head is filled with the hope of getting some of the money. He wants to get it divided among the heirs. It’s what he calls the ‘accumulations.’ ”
“Accumulations!” Leonard repeated impatiently. “They are all in a tale. I know nothing about these accumulations, or what will be done with them.”
“Sam is full of suspicions. He thinks there is a conspiracy to keep him out.”
“Oh, does he? Well, tell him that my great-grandfather’s solicitor receives the rents and deals with them as he is instructed. I, for one, am not consulted.”
“I said you knew nothing about it. Granny was so angry. You see, Sam can think of nothing else. He’s been unlucky lately, and he comforts himself with calculating what the money comes to. He’s made me do sums—oh! scores of sums—in compound interest for him: Sam never got so far himself. If you’ve never worked it out——”
“I never have. Like Sam, I have not got so far.”