of public charities. The residue went to Sir Henry."
"And how much was the residue?"
"Seven hundred and forty thousand pounds. No one knew how very rich
Sir Charles was until his securities were examined. The total value
of the estate was close on to a million."
"If anything happened to our young friend - forgive the unpleasant
hypothesis!  - who would inherit the estate?"
"Since Sir Charles's younger brother, Rodger, died unmarried, the
estate would descend to a distant cousin, James Desmond, an elderly
clergyman in Westmoreland, a man of venerable appearance & of saintly
life. He once visited Sir Charles, but would accept no settlement,
though it was pressed upon him."
Mortimer explained that Desmond would be the heir to the estate,
