Pollyooly had been at Ricksborough Court rather more than a month when the Honourable John Ruffin arrived, uninvited and without notice, on the Friday evening. He found the duke in the garden with the three children. "The kicking has begun," he said to the duke briefly, by way of explanation. The duke seemed taken aback by the suddenness of the news, but soon he recovered and showed himself in very good spirits. That night after dinner, after Pollyooly and Ronald had been dismissed from dessert to bed, the Honourable John Ruffin said: "I got a letter from Caroline, pitching into me like one o'clock for being a party to a disgraceful plot to rob Marion of her name and birthright." "Where is it?" said the duke quickly. "I didn't bring it with me. The home-truths about me on it were nothing to the home-truths about you. It would sear your soul to read them," said the Honourable John Ruffin in a very grave voice. "Would it?" said the duke. "It would. But I thought I would come down, in case she made a descent and you wanted some one to stand by and stiffen you." "Do you know, I don't think I do," said the duke. "I really believe I can stick it out on my own." "Good," said the Honourable John Ruffin. "All the same I'm glad you came. If we get beyond having a tremendous row, we shall very likely want some one to arrange things for us," said the duke. "I shouldn't think a tremendous row was quite your game," said the Honourable John Ruffin thoughtfully. "Oh, _I'm_ not going to row. But you know what Caroline is: she can have all the row there is to have, without any help from any one," said the duke. "I'm just going to sit tight as wax and let her wear herself out, if she does start rowing." "That is undoubtedly the course for a man of sense to pursue," said the Honourable John Ruffin in a tone of approval. The duke was on tenterhooks the next day, for though he was braced for the struggle with the duchess, he found the uncertainty when that struggle would begin trying. Then he was taking his afternoon tea with the Honourable John Ruffin on the cedar lawn; Ronald and Pollyooly mindful of the cakes, had sociably joined them; and they were laughing at a story the Honourable John Ruffin was telling them, when he stopped short, staring at the entrance to the lawn. They turned to see the duchess standing in it, and surveying them with the eyes of an avenging angel. [Illustration: They turned to see the Duchess] They all rose; and the Honourable John Ruffin said calmly: "How are you, Caroline? I suppose you motored down. Charming weather for motoring." "Very," said the duchess in a terrible voice. "And a charming gathering I find at the end of it." "Yes; sit down and have some tea. You must be thirsty," said the Honourable John Ruffin. "How are you, Caroline? Sit down and have some tea," said the duke, seizing on the opening, in rather uncertain tones. "Tea!" said the duchess, in a yet more terrible voice.