"Not often since your master's death: but how often before?"
"Well, he used to come in pretty often before the old man died; but they
were both of 'em precious close. Mr. Percival never let out that he was
my master's son, but I guessed as much before he'd been here many times."
"How was it that I never came across him?"
"Chance, I suppose; but he's a deep one. If you'd happened to come in
when he was here, I daresay he'd have contrived to slip away somehow
without your seeing him."
"When did he come here last?" asked Gilbert.
"About a fortnight ago. He came with Mr. Medler, the lawyer, who
introduced him formally as my master's son; and they took possession of
the place between them for Mrs. Holbrook, making an arrangement with me
to carry on the business, and making precious hard terms too."
"Have you seen Mrs. Holbrook since that morning when she left London for
Hampshire, immediately after her grandfather's death?"
"Never set eyes on her since then; but she's in London, they told me,
living with her father. She came up to claim the property. I say, the
husband must be rather a curious party, mustn't he, to stand that kind of
thing, and part company with her just when she's come into a fortune?"
"Have you any notion where Mrs. Holbrook or her father is to be found? I
should be glad to make you a handsome present if you could enlighten me
upon that point.
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