“
Clovis then asked what had happened to the head of the man who was strangling a snake and Sir Aubrey said that Dudley had blasted it with a shotgun.
“He was after some poachers,” he said, and fell silent, looking very sad. “Splendid chap, Dudley. Ask anyone.”
Clovis said that he had heard from his father how strong Dudley was, and tried to think if he had heard anything nice about Dudley, but he hadn’t. Fortunately, since Sir Aubrey was looking very upset, the butler announced Mrs. Smith and her three older daughters. The youngest daughter, Prudence, was still in nappies and did not go out to dinner.
Again Clovis had no difficulty in recognizing Mrs. Smith as the Basher, and her daughters as the ones who were no use to Sir Aubrey because they were the wrong sex.
“How do you do, Aunt Joan,” said Clovis, smiling winningly and hoping that the Basher had settled down since her marriage.
“Well, you led us quite a dance,” brayed Joan, and introduced her daughters.
”
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