He did call and struck up a friendship with Miss French, and started to see her on many other occasions at a time when he himself was in low water financially. Vole's story is that Miss French asked him for financial advice, despite the testimony of both her maid, Janet Mackenzie, and Miss French's bankers that the old lady was astute enough herself on these matters. He protests that he never swindled her of a single penny and, if he had been doing so, surely her death would have frustrated his plans? Vole is then staggered when Mayherne tells him that he is the principal beneficiary of Miss French's will, and that Janet Mackenzie swears that her mistress told her that Vole was informed of this change in his fortunes.