idea how to set about it, while, doubtless, you are acquainted with
many such domains at present for sale. I may say that I will on no
account purchase an estate which has been confiscated by parliament
on account of its owner being loyal to the crown. Charles II may,
and I believe will, return and mount the throne, and these estates
will then beyond doubt be restored to their former owners, therefore
I will have nought to do with such property."

"You could not choose a better time for laying out your money in
land," the banker said. "Great numbers of the nobles and gentlemen
of England have been killed or are in exile; many, again, who still
hold their land are well nigh ruined by the moneys they spent in
the king's service, and would gladly sell now could they obtain
anything like a fair value for their estates. I know of a score at
least of such properties which are so deeply mortgaged that the
owners can scarce afford to live in their own homes, and would gladly
take a sum that would suffice to pay off the mortgage and give
them the wherewithal to live upon, either abroad or in Virginia,
to which colony many loyal gentlemen have already gone to settle.
If you will call tomorrow I will give you a list of such estates,
with their size, the amount of their revenues, and the price at
which their owners would, I know, be glad to sell, for I and some
of my friends have been approached by them with that view."

Hector spent the next three weeks in visiting eight of the estates
that seemed suitable and were all situated in counties near London.
Finally he settled upon one in Berkshire, which was of considerable
size and with a stately house in a fair position. This he purchased,
and then, returning to Plymouth, his marriage with Norah was
celebrated there, and he, with his wife and Madame de Blenfoix and