But as well as having been an actress, Aunt Maxine was a Garden, and an aunt: and she suggested, at the close of an enthralling account of the row between Tessie Ashfall and Barner Brabazon, that Harry should telephone Uncle Preston and let him know that he was back in town.

‘Oh, Maxine, need I?’

‘I know it’s a bore, my dear,’ said Aunt Maxine, delighted at not being called ‘Aunt,’ ‘But it would be good policy, I think. Your Uncle Preston is the most irritating man I know, but he means well. He’s an old maid, but he means kindly. I think you’d better ’phone him, really I do.’

Harry promised that he would; and got away by saying that he must get it over before he caught a train into the country.

‘Where are you off to, naughty boy?’ enquired Aunt Maxine playfully, ‘Weekending?’

‘Rather not; no such luck! Going down to the Sweetings for a few days; old Edward, you know.’

He made his ‘goodbyes’ charmingly, and both women watched him swing out of the café with his two big suitcases and his hat becomingly cocked.

‘Good looking, isn’t he?’ said Aunt Maxine, looking proudly after him.

‘My god, what a pair of eyes,’ said Miss Van Veek, who had been silently watching Harry while he talked, ‘I suppose he’s got a string of girls as long as your arm. Got a cigarette?’

And they began to talk about the stage again.

Harry’s arrival in London made it possible for matters to advance quickly. Uncle Preston made his nephew see that he must come up from Taplow the day after his arrival in town to talk over the sale of the furniture at the Surgery, the future of Francis and many other questions; and accordingly Harry came and spent a portentous hour with Uncle Preston and Mr Marriot in the latter’s office.

The two elder gentlemen succeeded in persuading him that they should act, until he came of age in six months’ time, as his trustees. No official trustees had, of course, been appointed by Dr Garden’s will; and the Public Trustee therefore would officially control Harry’s funds, such as they were. But Mr Marriot pointed out that it would be convenient if he, Mr Marriot, should be in a position to advance Harry sums of money from time to time. It would be an excellent idea if they were advanced at regular intervals, say quarterly. They could be repaid later, from the takings of the practice or from its sale.

Harry agreed amiably to this suggestion. Too amiably, if Uncle Preston and Mr Marriot had but known. He had every intention of letting Mr Marriot advance him sums, but not quarterly. Whenever he felt like having sums, Mr Marriot could advance them. That would be a much better plan. But he said nothing of his decision to his elders. He had already learned that it is wise, if you have a plan which people may dislike, not to mention it until absolutely necessary.