Tony said,
“We've got the hounds meeting at Hetton on Wednesday.
Couldn't you stay down till then?”
“Must be back.
There's going to be a debate on the Pig Scheme.”
“I wish you'd stay.
Look here why don't you ask that girl down.
Everyone goes tomorrow.
You could ring her up, couldn't you.”
“I could.”
“Would she hate it?
She could have Lyonesse — Polly slept there two week-ends running so it can't be too uncomfortable.”
“She'd probably love it.
I'll ring up and ask her.”
“Why don't you hunt too?
There's a chap called Brinkwell who's got some quite decent hirelings I believe.”
“Yes, I might.”
“Jock's staying on.
He's having the shameless blonde down.
You don't mind?”
“Me?
Of course not.”
“This has been a jolly week-end.”
“I thought you were enjoying it.”
“Just like old times — before the economics began.”
Marjorie said to Jock,
“D'you think Tony knows about Mr. Beaver?”
“Not a thing.”
“I haven't mentioned it to Allan.
D'you suppose he knows?”
“I doubt it.”
“Oh, Jock, how d'you think it'll end?”
“She'll get bored with Beaver soon enough.”
“The trouble is that he doesn't care for her in the least.
If he did, it would soon be over … What an ass she is being.”
“I should say she was managing it unusually well, if you asked me.”
The other married couples said to each other,
“D'you think Marjorie and Allan know about Brenda?”
“I'm sure they don't.”
Brenda said to Allan,
“Tony's as happy as a sand-boy, isn't he?”
“Full of beans.”
“I was getting worried about him … You don't think he's got any idea about my goings on.”
“Lord no. It's the last thing that would come into his head.”
Brenda said,
“I don't want him to be unhappy you know … Marjorie's been frightfully governessy about the whole thing.”
“Has she?
I haven't discussed it with her.”
“How did you hear?”
“My dear girl, until this minute I didn't know you had any goings on.