Presently, still laughing, they left and Tony went into Brenda's room. It was in darkness, but hearing him come and seeing the square of light in the doorway, she turned on the little lamp by the bedside.

``Why, Tony,'' she said.

She was lying on the dais with her head deep back in the pillows; her face was shining with the grease she used for cleaning it; one bare arm on the quilted eiderdown, left there from turning the switch. ``Why, Tony,'' she said, ``I was almost asleep.''

``Very tired?''

``Mm.''

``Want to be left alone?''

``So tired ... and I've just drunk a lot of that stuff of Polly's.''

``I see ... well goodnight.''

``Goodnight ... don't mind do you? ... so tired.''

He crossed to the bed and kissed her; she lay quite still, with closed eyes. Then he turned out the light and went back to the dressing room.

``Lady Brenda not ill, I hope?''

``No, nothing serious, thank you very much. She gets rather done up in London, you know, during the week, and likes to take Sunday quietly.''

``And how are the great studies progressing?''

``Very well, I gather. She seems keen on it still.''

``Splendid. We shall all be coming to her soon to solve our economic problems. But I daresay you and John miss her?''

``Yes, we do rather.''

``Well please give her my kindest regards.''

``I will indeed. Thank you so much.''

Tony left the church porch and made his accustomed way to the hot houses; a gardenia for himself; four almost black carnations for the ladies. When he reached the room where they were sitting there was a burst of laughter. He paused on the threshold rather bewildered:

``Come in, darling, it isn't anything. It's only we had a bet on what coloured button-hole you'd be wearing and none of us won.''

They still giggled a little as they pinned on the flowers he had brought them; all except Mrs. Beaver who said, ``Any time you are buying cuttings or seeds do get them through me. I've made quite a little business of it, perhaps you didn't know ... all kinds of rather unusual flowers. I do everything like that for Sylvia Newport and all sorts of people.''

``You must talk to my head man about it.''

``Well to tell you the truth I have--this morning while you were in church. He seems quite to understand.''

They left early, so as to reach London in time for dinner. In the car Daisy said, ``Golly what a house.''

``Now you can see what I've been through all these years.''

``My poor Brenda,'' said Veronica, unpinning her carnation and throwing it from the window into the side of the road.

``You know,'' Brenda confided next day, ``I'm not absolutely happy about Tony.''

``What's the old boy been up to?'' asked Polly.

``Nothing much yet, but I do see it's pretty boring for him at Hetton all this time.''

``I shouldn't worry.''

``Oh, I'm not worrying. It's only, supposing he took to drink or something. It would make everything very difficult.''

``I shouldn't have said that was his thing ... We must get him interested in a girl.''

``If only we could ... Who is there?''

``There's always old Sybil.''

``Darling, he's known her all his life.''

``Or Souki de Foucauld-Esterhazy.''

``He isn't his best with Americans.''

``Well we'll find him someone.''

``The trouble is that I've become such a habit with him--he won't take easily to a new one ... ought she to be like me, or quite different?''

``I'd say, different, but it's hard to tell.''

They discussed this problem in all its aspects.

Three

Brenda wrote:

Darling Tony,

Sorry not to have written or rung up but I've had such a busy time with bimetallism. v. complicated.

Coming down Saturday with Polly again. Good her coming twice--Lyonesse can't be as beastly as most of the rooms can it.

Also charming girl I have taken up with who I want us to be kind to. She'd had a terrible life and she lives in one of these flats called Jenny Abdul Akbar. Not black but married one. Get her to tell you. She'll come by train 3.18 I expect. Must stop now and go to lecture.

Keep away from the Demon Rum.

xxxxx

Brenda.

Saw Jock last night at Cafй de Paris with shameless blonde. Who?

Cin no Djinn how? has rheumatism and Marjorie is v. put out about it. She thinks his pelvis is out of place and Cruttwell won't do him which is pretty mean considering all the people she has brought there.

``Are you certain Jenny will be Tony's tea?''

``You can't ever be certain,'' said Polly. ``She bores my pants off, but she's a good trier.''

``Is mummy coming down today, daddy?''

``Yes.''

``Who else?''

``Someone called Abdul Akbar.''

``What a silly name. Is she foreign?''

``I don't know.''

``Sounds foreign, doesn't she, daddy? D'you think she won't be able to talk any English? Is she black?''

``Mummy says not.''

``Oh ... who else?''

``Lady Cockpurse.''

``The monkey woman. You know she wasn't a bit like a monkey except perhaps her face and I don't think she had a tail because I looked as close as anything ... unless perhaps she has it rolled up between her legs. D'you think she has, daddy?''

``I shouldn't be surprised.''

``Very uncomfortable.''

Tony and John were friends again; but it had been a leaden week.

It was part of Polly Cockpurse's plan to arrive late at Hetton. ``Give the girl a chance to get down to it,'' she said. So she and Brenda did not leave London until Jenny was already on her way from the station. It was a day of bitter cold and occasional rain. The resolute little figure huddled herself in the rugs until they reached the gates. Then she opened her bag, tucked up her veil, shook out her powder puff and put her face to rights. She licked the rouge from her finger with a sharp red tongue.

Tony was in the smoking room when she was announced; the library was now too noisy during the daytime for there were men at work on the walls of the morning room next door, tearing down the plaster tracery.

``Princess Abdul Akbar.''

He rose to greet her. She was preceded by a heavy odour of musk.

``Oh, Mr. Last,'' she said, ``what a sweet old place this is.''

``I'm afraid it's been restored a great deal,'' said Tony.

``Ah, but its atmosphere. I always think that's what counts in a house. Such dignity, and repose, but of course you're used to it. When you've been very unhappy as I have, you appreciate these things.''

Tony said, ``I'm afraid Brenda hasn't arrived yet. She's coming by car with Lady Cockpurse.''

``Brenda's been such a friend to me.'' The Princess took off her furs and sat down on the stool before the fire, looking up at Tony. ``D'you mind if I take off my hat?''

``No, no ... of course.''

She threw it on to the sofa and shook out her hair, which was dead black and curled. ``D'you know, Mr. Last, I'm going to call you Teddy right away. You don't think that very fresh of me? And you must call me Jenny. Princess is so formal, isn't it, and suggests tight trousers and gold braid ... Of course,'' she went on, stretching out her hands to the fire and letting her hair fall forwards a little across her face, ``my husband was not called `Prince' in Morocco; his title was Moulay--but there's no proper equivalent for a woman so I've always called myself Princess in Europe ... Moulay is far higher really ... my husband was a descendant of the Prophet. Are you interested in the East?''