SOLVED orphan lives alone in english manor, finds adorable amazonian creatures [s]

[Bri]

YA novel following an orphan whose name escapes me as he moves from london orphanage to living alone in an english countryside manor that was willed to him. Strange happenstances lead to him discovering his ancestor's legacy, a collection of completely adorable fuzzy limbless seal things that he found in the amazon while he was adventuring as a young man. Also finds an old man originally from the amazon, that his grandfather saved and brought to england or something... he has malaria flare-ups? memory incredibly fuzzy please do help

[CLM]

Could this be The Valley of Secrets? I found it disappointing but I think it fits your description.

[Bri]

yes! that's it. i actually never finished it because of a printing error where the last few chapters weren't there... merp