To her right the candlestick-maker uttered a hoarse: ‘’Ear! ’ear!’

‘ ’Ush!’ said the tall policeman. Dinny saw her uncle walking out beside the girl; he smiled as he passed.

‘Wait for me, Dinny – shan’t be two minutes!’

Slipping out behind the tall policeman, Dinny waited in the lobby. The nature of things around gave her the shuddery feeling one had turning up the light in a kitchen at night; the scent of Condy’s Fluid assailed her nostrils; she moved nearer to the outer door. A police sergeant said:

‘Anything I can do for you, Miss?’

‘Thank you, I’m waiting for my uncle; he’s just coming.’

‘The reverend gentleman?’

Dinny nodded.

‘Ah! He’s a good man, is the Vicar. That girl got off?’

‘Yes.’

‘Well! Mistakes will ’appen. Here he is Miss.’

Hilary came up and put his arm through Dinny’s.

‘Ah! Sergeant,’ he said, ‘how’s the Missis?’

‘Prime, Sir. So you pulled her out of it?’

‘Yes,’ said Hilary; ‘and I want a pipe. Come along, Dinny.’ And, nodding to the sergeant, he led her into the air.

‘What brought you into this galley, Dinny?’

‘I came after you, Uncle. Aunt May brought me. Did that girl really not do it?’

‘Ask me another. But to convict her was the surest way to send her to hell. She’s behind with her rent, and her sister’s ill. Hold on a minute while I light up.’ He emitted a cloud of smoke and resumed her arm. ‘What do you want of me, my dear?’

‘An introduction to Lord Saxenden.’

‘Snubby Bantham? Why?’

‘Because of Hubert.’

‘Oh! Going to vamp him?’

‘If you’ll bring us together.’

‘I was at Harrow with Snubby, he was only a baronet then – I haven’t seen him since.’

‘But you’ve got Wilfred Bentworth in your pocket, Uncle, and their estates march.’

‘Well, I daresay Bentworth will give me a note to him for you.’

‘That’s not what I want. I want to meet him socially.’

‘Um! Yes, you can hardly vamp him without. What’s the point, exactly?’

‘Hubert’s future. We want to get at the fountain-head before worse befalls.’

‘I see. But look here, Dinny, Lawrence is your man. He has Bentworth going to them at Lippinghall on Tuesday next week, for partridge driving. You could go too.’

‘I thought of Uncle Lawrence, but I couldn’t miss the chance of seeing you, Uncle.’

‘My dear,’ said Hilary, ‘attractive nymphs mustn’t say things like that. They go to the head. Well, here we are! Come in and have tea.’

In the drawing room of the Vicarage Dinny was startled to see again her Uncle Adrian. He was sitting in a corner with his long legs drawn in, surrounded by two young women who looked like teachers. He waved his spoon, and presently came over to her.

‘After we parted, Dinny, who should appear but the man of wrath himself, to see my Peruvians.’

‘Not Hallorsen?’

Adrian held out a card: ‘Professor Edward Hallorsen’, and in pencil, ‘Piedmont Hotel’.

‘He’s a much more personable bloke than I thought when I met him husky and bearded in the Dolomites; and I should say he’s no bad chap if taken the right way. And what I was going to say to you was: Why not take him the right way?’

‘You haven’t read Hubert’s diary, Uncle.’

‘I should like to.’

‘You probably will. It may be published.’

Adrian whistled faintly.

‘Perpend, my dear. Dog-fighting is excellent for all except the dogs.’

‘Hallorsen’s had his innings. It’s Hubert’s turn to bat.’

‘Well, Dinny – no harm in having a look at the bowling before he goes in. Let me arrange a little dinner. Diana Ferse will have us at her house, and you can stay the night with her for it.