But in such case he, Roger Carbury, would at any rate have done his duty.

He knew that no human arrangements can be fixed, let the care in making them be ever so great.

To his thinking it would be better that the estate should be dissipated by a Carbury than held together by a stranger.

He would stick to the old name while there was one to bear it, and to the old family while a member of it was left.

So thinking, he had already made his will, leaving the entire property to the man whom of all others he most despised, should he himself die without child.
In the afternoon of the day on which Lady Carbury was expected, he wandered about the place thinking of all this.