She slipped in at the door, winked at the young man who sat at the reception desk and shied away as a large American woman bore down upon him with a white-gloved finger firmly planted on a price in her catalogue.

Troy hurriedly looked away and, in a corner of the crowded room, sitting on a chair that was not big enough for him, she saw a smallish round gentleman whose head was aslant, his eyes closed and his mouth peacefully open. Troy made for him.

‘Bunchy!’ she said.

Lord Robert Gospell opened his eyes very wide and moved his lips like a rabbit.

‘Hullo!’ he said. ‘What a scrimmage, ain’t it? Pretty good.’

‘You were asleep.’

‘May have been having a nap.’

‘That’s a pretty compliment,’ said Troy without rancour.

‘I had a good prowl first. Just thought I’d pop in,’ explained Lord Robert. ‘Enjoyed myself.’ He balanced his glasses across his nose, flung his head back and with an air of placid approval contemplated a large landscape. Without any of her usual embarrassment Troy looked with him.

‘Pretty good,’ repeated Bunchy. ‘Ain’t it?’

He had an odd trick of using Victorian colloquialisms; legacies, he would explain, from his distinguished father. ‘Lor!’ was his favourite ejaculation. He kept up little Victorian politenesses, always leaving cards after a ball and often sending flowers to the hostesses who dined him. His clothes were famous—a rather high, close-buttoned jacket and narrowish trousers by day, a soft wide hat and a cloak in the evening. Troy turned from her picture to her companion. He twinkled through his glasses and pointed a fat finger at the landscape.

‘Nice and clean,’ he said. ‘I like ’em clean. Come and have tea.’

‘I’ve only just arrived,’ said Troy, ‘but I’d love to.’

‘I’ve got the Potters,’ said Bunchy. ‘My sister and her boy. Wait a bit. I’ll fetch ’em.’

‘Mildred and Donald?’ asked Troy.

‘Mildred and Donald. They live with me, you know, since poor Potter died. Donald’s just been sent down for some gambling scrape or other. Nice young scamp. No harm in him. Only don’t mention Oxford.’

‘I’ll remember.’

‘He’ll probably save you the trouble by talking about it himself. I like having young people about. Gay. Keeps one up to scratch. Can you see ’em anywhere? Mildred’s wearing a puce toque.’

‘Not a toque, Bunchy,’ said Troy. ‘There she is. It’s a very smart purple beret. She’s seen us. She’s coming.’

Lord Robert’s widowed sister came billowing through the crowd followed by her extremely good-looking son. She greeted Troy breathlessly but affectionately. Donald bowed, grinned and said: ‘We have been enjoying ourselves. Frightfully good!’

‘Fat lot you know about it,’ said Troy good-humouredly. ‘Mildred, Bunchy suggests tea.’

‘I must say I should be glad of it,’ said Lady Mildred Potter. ‘Looking at pictures is the most exhausting pastime, even when they are your pictures, dear.’