My own idea is that the best thing is for me to hang on here as if I knew nothing about it. I’ll take care to be very distant. I’ll ignore her as much as I can. MRS. DOT. Will you promise to do that? FREDDIE. Yes, rather. I’ll let her see that I’m really a deuced dissipated dog. BLENKINSOP. Don’t let her think you’re too great a devil with the ladies, or that’ll be the last straw. If there’s one thing a woman likes it’s a really bad man. She’ll start reforming you, and then there’ll be no holding her back. MRS. DOT. No, you must seem rather dull and stupid. Let her think you’re a bit of a milksop. [FREDDIE _looks at them suspiciously_. FREDDIE. Look here, you’re not pulling my leg all the time, are you? MRS. DOT. My dear, I should never take such a liberty. FREDDIE. I don’t believe a word of what you’ve told me. Why should she care for me? You’ve simply been humbugging me right and left. [_For a moment_ MRS. DOT _is taken aback, but she sees_ LADY SELLENGER _coming through the garden with_ GERALD. MRS. DOT. Here’s Lady Sellenger. You won’t accuse her of trying to make a fool of you. [LADY SELLENGER _and_ GERALD _appear_.] I’ve just been talking to Freddie about--about your girl. LADY SELLENGER. Oh yes. [_To_ FREDDIE.] My poor boy, you’re in a very difficult position. FREDDIE. Then you know all about it, too? LADY SELLENGER. I really feel for you very much. You’ll want a great deal of tact and a great deal of courage. But you must do your duty. [_She turns aside to_ BLENKINSOP. MRS. DOT. [_In an undertone to_ FREDDIE.] Now have I been pulling your leg? FREDDIE. Poor girl! [_He goes into the house._ LADY SELLENGER. [_Looking at him as he goes._] What a beautiful and touching thing love is. BLENKINSOP. You must take care, Lady Sellenger. You’re growing sentimental. LADY SELLENGER. But I’ve always been as sentimental as a schoolgirl in my heart. Only, so long as Nellie’s future was unarranged, I was obliged to keep a tight hand on myself. MRS. DOT. Of course, Jimmie laughs; he doesn’t know what love is. LADY SELLENGER. Have you never been loved for yourself, Mr. Blenkinsop? BLENKINSOP. I have, but I have always found it deuced expensive. GERALD. I’m afraid Blenkinsop doesn’t set much store on the gentle sex. BLENKINSOP. Don’t call them gentle. They’re very much rougher than men. MRS. DOT. Stop him, or he’ll utter a whole string of horrors. BLENKINSOP.