one other definite possibility is cortland mayfair , julien 's second son , who was , at the time of stella 's birth , twenty-two years old and an extremely appealing young man ( his blood type was finally obtained in 1959 and is compatible ) he was in residence off and on at first street , as he was studying law at harvard and did not finish until 1903 that he was very fond of mary beth was well-known to everyone , and that he took an interest all his life in the legacy family is also well-known unfortunately for the talamasca , cortland was throughout most of his life a very secretive and guarded man he was known even to his brothers and his children as a reclusive individual who disliked any sort of gossip outside the family he loved reading , and was something of a genius at investment to our knowledge , he confided in no one even those closest to him give contradictory versions of what cortland did , and when , and why .