The sound of horses' hooves on the gravel gave Polly pause just as she was about to go inside. A lone horseman was galloping up the drive, sliding from the saddle in front of her and flinging his reins carelessly to a grinning groom with a familiarity that suggested that he was happy to be home.

"Peter!"

Peter Sea grave picked his sister up and twirled her about.

"h.e.l.lo, Poll! Who was that visiting just now? Pretty little piece, ain't she!"

"Peter," Polly said with asperity, 'that was Lady Laura March night and she has come to the country precisely to avoid rakes such as yourself!

Besides," she added with a little smile, 'you will have to fight Charles Far rant for the privilege--he only met her a sennight ago but he is already smitten!"

"Oh, well..." Peter let her go and gave her a smile that seemed a little frayed at the edges '. I'll secede graciously to Far rant's prior claim! I daresay I am not very welcome here, am I? But I had nowhere else to go! " Polly slipped her hand through his arm.

"You are not in Mama's good books, certainly, but you know she is always glad to see you at heart! What has happened, Peter?"

"Pockets to let," her brother admitted reluctantly.

"I haven't a feather to fly! Oh, G.o.d, Poll, I've been an unmitigated fool!

I heard that Hetty had become betrothed to Edmund Grantley and I got blind drunk and let Weller den's cronies fleece me. So I've come to throw myself on Mama's mercy!"

"It's not just Mama," Polly said, bluntly.

"Nicholas is here too. He and Lucille returned early from their tour, for Lucille is increasing. You have missed all the news, Peter!"

"So it seems," Peter said, clearly torn between pleasure at the news of an impending niece or nephew and concern at finding his brother unexpectedly in residence.

Polly squeezed his arm.

"It will be all right. But how did you hear about Hetty's betrothal?"

"Lady Bolt told me," Peter said bitterly.

"She was at Weller den's place.

Said she'd had a letter from Hetty herself! Straight from the horse's mouth!

" Polly reflected that there were plenty of things one might call Lady Bolt, of which a horse was the most flattering.

"I scarcely think Mrs Mark ham likely to allow Hetty to correspond with Lady Bolt," she said carefully, 'foster sister or no! I think you may have been duped, Peter! " Her brother seemed much taken by this idea.

"Lord, I never thought of that!" He paused in the entrance hall.

"The scheming harpy!"

"I thought you were much struck by Lady Bolt," Polly said, suppressing a giggle.

"I remember that you admired her exceedingly and were most cast down when she favoured Gars ton over you! You do not sound so complimentary now!"

Peter shot his sister a darkling look.

"Dashed improper of you to say so, Poll, though you may be right!" He grinned suddenly.

"The truth is the woman's a dishonest dory! And anyway, I couldn't afford her!"

Polly, enchanted by this graphically unflattering description of Lady Bolt, nevertheless tried to get back to matters which were more important.

"But what do you intend to do about Hetty?" she asked demurely.

"This news of a betrothal may all be a hum, Peter, and you do still care about Hetty, don't you?"

"Of course I do," Peter said crossly.

"The silly chit is supposed to be marrying me, not Edmund Grantley! I tell you. Poll, it goes against the grain with me to sit here and do nothing, but what can I do? Can't rush to Kings mar ton and call the fellow out, can I?"

"At least you could go to Kings mar ton and find out what is going on,"

Polly suggested hopefully.

Her brother looked unconvinced.

"Suppose I'd better go and beard Nick in his lair before I decide what else to do," he said glumly.

"He's bound to cut up rough at me losing so heavily to Weller den.

Still, I'm not the only pigeon his lordship is intent on plucking! I heard that March night was due to arrive in a couple of days' time and you know what a gamester he is! Lady Bolt was aux anges to hear that he was joining them!"

"Lord Henry?" Polly was amazed and, she discovered, annoyed.

"But he has been here in Wood bridge these four days past! He has just been here now!"

"Well, he's expected at Weller den's place shortly," Peter a.s.serted incontrovertibly.

"Heard about it from Weller den himself! Like I said.

Lady Bolt is waiting for him in an agony of impatience! She don't let her bed go cold! " And with this final, scandalous sally he strolled off to Sea grave's book room, unaware of the variety of emotions, all of them unpleasant, which he had aroused in his sister's breast.

Peter stayed only a day at Dilling ham, much to his mother's dismay.

He had an uncomfortable interview with his elder brother, emerging silent and tightlipped from Sea grave's room after half an hour.

The next morning Peter left for Kings mar ton at first light.

"I do hope that matters will sort themselves out," Lucille sighed, sitting with her sister-in-law under a huge tented pavilion which had been erected on Dilling ham Court's green lawns.

"Perhaps I was wrong to encourage Hetty to accept Peter last year. She is very young, after all, and marriage is a very serious business. She has shown a sad unsteadiness of character these months past--' " So has Peter,"

Polly said frankly.

"This outrageous business of Lady Bolt, for example! He and Hetty deserve each other!"