’Oh, he is on the road. That was a fine idea, making a carrier of him between Exeter and Launceston. There are so many stations on the way—there’s Tap House, and Crockernwell, and Sticklepath, and Okehampton, and Sourton Down Inn, and Bridestowe, and Lew Down, and Lifton; and he can talk to his heart’s content at each about what he did in Afghanistan, and what he might be if his father could prove his claim to Coombe Park. Then he’s so occupied with his horses on Sundays at Launceston that he can’t possibly get over here to see his relations, which is a mercy.’
’I’ve been thinking,’ said Langford, ’as we’ve got Larry in for third feoffee in Coryndon’s Charity, couldn’t we get the baby in for the fourth now there’s a vacancy?’
’But the baby ain’t come yet, and I don’t know whether it’ll be a boy or a maid.’
’It would be a satisfaction, and a further bond of union,’ argued Langford. ’The Coryndon trust land comes in very fitting with Langford and Chimsworthy, and I thought that when you and I are gone, Larry might absorb our feoffeeships into himself, as a snail draws in his horns, and then there’d be only he and his son, and when he himself goes, his son would be sole feoffee and responsible to no one. Coryndon’s land comes in very fitly.’
’I don’t think it can be done,’ said Nanspian, shaking his head. ’There’s such a lot of ramping and roaring radicalism about. I thought we’d better put in Sam Voaden. Thus it will be in the family.’
’We can’t have everything,’ argued Nanspian. Then both were silent again. Langford sighed. Presently he said, ’I’m a just man, and do like to see the property rounded shapely on all sides. That is why I proposed it.’
Presently Hillary Nanspian drew a long pull at his pipe, and sent two little shoots of smoke through his nostrils. ’Taverner,’ said he, when all the smoke was expended, ’going back to that woman, Mrs. Veale, I don’t think you ought to have taken me up so mighty sharp about her. After all this is sifted and said, you must allow you stood afraid of her, and I allow that you had a right to be so. A woman as would steal your cashbox, and make attempts on your heart, and poison your gruel, no man need blush and hang his head to admit that he was a bit afraid of.’