Part 18 (1/2)

_Dolly._ Don't leave her till you've seen her comfortably in bed.

_Peters._ No, ma'am.

[_Exit. A gust of wind and a little rattle of hail on the conservatory window._

_Matt._ Whew! The New Year means business!

_Dolly._ And so do I, as Lucas will find out.

_Matt._ He is finding it out, on that heath!

_Dolly._ Yes! [_With a little laugh._] Ha! ha! [_A louder gust and rattle of hail._] Listen! Listen! Ha! And he might have been here playing a comfortable rubber by the fire--if he'd simply behaved himself!

_Matt._ If he'd ”simply behaved” himself! What we all miss through not ”simply behaving” ourselves.

[_Another gust._

_Dolly._ [_Laughs._] Ah! He's catching it! I shall insist on Renie driving out with me to-morrow afternoon.

_Matt._ Yes.

_Dolly._ Then she can't meet Lucas. That will be another sell for him--[_Another furious gust and rattle._] Listen! Ha! ha! I wonder how far Lucas has got!

[_A noise of something being knocked over in the conservatory, which is lighted._

_Matt._ [_Goes to the conservatory door, looks in; is startled._] Hillo!

hillo! What?!

LUCAS _enters from the upper conservatory door in riding-clothes of first Act._

_Dolly._ [_Enraged._] Lucas! [_More enraged._] Lucas! How dare you?!

_Lucas._ It's all right--don't make a fuss!

_Dolly._ [_Furious._] Why aren't you on the way to Aldershot?

_Lucas._ I didn't like the look of the weather! I didn't like the look of it at all! So I got them to give me a shake-down at the Red Lion----

_Dolly._ [_Indignantly._] Shake-down at the Red Lion!

_Lucas._ Yes, on their sofa! You needn't look so black! I asked you first, to let me have a shake-down here--on that sofa----

_Dolly._ But why have you come back here?

_Lucas._ Well, I must have dropped those cigars uncle Matt gave me. I put them carefully in my side pocket, and when I got down to the Red Lion, lo and behold, they weren't there!

_Dolly._ You could have got a cigar at the Red Lion----

_Lucas._ [_Turns to_ MATT _for sympathy._] I could have got a cigar at the Red Lion! [_To_ DOLLY.] No, thank you! So I thought I'd just stroll up here in the hope----