Only the fact
of her ladyship having taken it into her head to invite a house-
party for the last week of May had prevented Mr. Motkin from
paying a visit of consultation to his relative with respect to the
big race; there was still time to cycle over if he could get leave
of absence for the afternoon on some specious excuse.
"Let's jolly well hope he does," said Bertie van Tahn; "under the
circumstances a second cousin is almost as useful as second
sight."
"That stable ought to know something, if knowledge is to be found
anywhere," said Mrs. Packletide hopefully.
"I expect you'll find he'll echo my fancy for Motorboat," said
Colonel Drake.
At this moment the subject had to be hastily dropped. Lady Susan
bore down upon them, leaning on the arm of Clovis's mother, to
whom she was confiding the fact that she disapproved of the craze
for Pekingese spaniels. It was the third thing she had found time
to disapprove of since lunch, without counting her silent and
permanent disapproval of the way Clovis's mother did her hair.
"We have been admiring the Himalayan pheasants," said Mrs.
Packletide suavely.
"They went off to a bird-show at Nottingham early this morning,"
said Lady Susan, with the air of one who disapproves of hasty and
ill-considered lying.
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