“We in the Hairy Tit Conservancy Trust would like to purchase that land. To preserve and protect the habitat of the endangered tit.” Barry beamed like he was giving Alden a present.
“That’s . . . I’m . . .” Alden tried hard to pull himself out of his verbal stumbling fit. “I couldn’t think of selling any of the land. The estate was cut down to just seventy-two acres, not one hundred and twenty, and almost all of that is leased out to farmers. The house itself stands on less than twenty acres, your bird area included.”
“We’ll offer a fair price, mind you. We don’t intend for this to be a hardship on you,” Barry said, then clapped his hand on Alden’s arm and walked him a few steps away from the others. “Just between you and me, that bit of land isn’t worth half of what the trust is prepare
