"The property in this country was valued, at the time Mr. Penfold drew
up his will, at eighty thousand pounds; these estates he left to your
son, and the sum of eighty-thousand pounds, in various investments, to
Miss Withers, and directed that the residue, whatever it might be at
his death, should be equally divided between them. Your son's share,
therefore, will amount to about twenty-five thousand pounds. I may say
that the outlying farms, which were settled by deed as a security for
the four hundred pounds annually paid to you, are not included in the
above valuation, but are ordered to revert to the main estate upon
your decease.
"The formalities will all be completed in the course of a short time.
I may say that from the totals to be divided must be deducted the
legacy duties, which, as your son and Miss Withers are strangers by
blood to the testator, will be heavy." Mr. Tallboys added that he
heard the younger Miss Penfold was now recovering from her serious
illness, but it was not probable she would ever be again herself. He
had received, he said, a letter that morning from their solicitor,
saying that as soon as Miss Eleanor Penfold could be moved, which it
was hoped would be in the course of another week, the ladies would
vacate possession of the Hall.
A fortnight later Mrs. Conway and Ralph left Dover for London, leaving
orders with an agent to sell the furniture of their house.
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