Of course. It’s quite natural. NELLIE. What do you want me to do? MRS. DOT. Well, I want you to be very good and sweet and help me to cure him. I’d send him away, only it would have no effect. I thought if he saw you again he might find out that you have at least one or two faults. At present he thinks you too perfect for words. NELLIE. I’m not that, really. MRS. DOT. I didn’t think you were. I want you to promise that you’ll do nothing that he can in the least take as encouragement. I want you to be very distant and very cold. NELLIE. Of course, I’ll be only too glad to do anything I can. MRS. DOT. You’d be doing him a real kindness if you could snub him at every opportunity. Then you must avoid him as much as you can. Of course, you’ll be very much with Gerald while you’re down here. LADY SELLENGER. Of course. The dears, they’ve not seen one another for a year, and they have an infinity of things to discuss. MRS. DOT. It’ll be quite easy for you to show my poor Freddie that he’s only making a prodigious fool of himself. NELLIE. I feel so sorry for him. MRS. DOT. You will do what you can, won’t you? NELLIE. I’ll make it quite plain to him at once that he mustn’t care for me. MRS. DOT. Treat it as an impertinence that you resent. NELLIE. I’ll do that on the first opportunity. MRS. DOT. I know you have the sweetest nature in the world, but if you could be really brutal to him at once, it would cure him instantly. NELLIE. I can be horrid when I like. MRS. DOT. I’m sure you can. I put infinite reliance in your tact. LADY SELLENGER. And now I think we really might take a little turn in the garden before tea. [_Seeing that_ NELLIE, _instead of accompanying her, strolls towards the house_.] Where are you going, Nellie? NELLIE. [_Stopping._] I’ve just remembered I must write a letter. I’ll join you in five minutes. LADY SELLENGER. [_To_ BLENKINSOP _and_ MRS. DOT _who are getting up_.] Oh, don’t let me disturb you, I shall enjoy wandering about and looking at the flowers by myself. [_She goes away. Just as_ NELLIE _is entering the house_ FREDDIE _comes out. She gives him a glance and as she passes, drops a rose._ FREDDIE _picks it up and comes forward_. MRS. DOT. You monster! FREDDIE. What’s the matter? MRS. DOT. Give me that flower! FREDDIE. I shall do nothing of the sort. I shall put it in my button-hole. MRS. DOT. Freddie, I’ve come to the conclusion that you want a holiday. I wish you to pack up your things at once and go to Brighton for a week. You’re looking pale and tired. I’m sure you’ve been working too hard. FREDDIE. Oh, rot! I’m as fit as a fiddle. MRS. DOT. Don’t you agree with me, James? BLENKINSOP. Certainly. I think a change of air is distinctly indicated. FREDDIE. But I can’t go away when you’ve got people in the house. Besides, who’s to look after your correspondence? MRS. DOT.