The conversation regarding the mystery of Jessamy's atypical friendship would of necessity at that point be laid aside, for alterations must be made to dress in preparation for dinner which could not wait a moment. The most excellent maid, Poley, made her appearance and Alverstoke was obliged to deliver himself into Knapp's anxiously waiting hands, which he did at his pleasure.

They were to dine at the usual country hour of five o'clock, and were to believe that Sir Anthony, far from being disconcerted at the earliness of the hour considered himself fortunate to dine at any time in the company of the family of one of his nearest friends and was in fact very accustomed to dining early as he had himself been brought up in the country. They were seated promptly at five and by the end of the generous repast far from considering Sir Anthony a slow-top, but in fact were delightfully amused by the young man, his manners allowed to be everything amiable and pleasing, but not so lacking in wit and without his own thoughts as to render his conversation boring to Alverstoke.

The only one of the party shown to not be completely satisfied in Sir Anthony was Felix, the younger brother. The maggot in his head regarding mechanical objects or inventions of any kind had in no way dispelled with his recent years; at sixteen he proved to be still so fascinated with the subject it employed very nearly all of his waking hours. He arrived at the dinner table as was typical, in grubby clothes, minus at least one button and after introduction to Sir Anthony began to ask him of information in relation to Humphry Davy, an English chemist he and his excellent tutor Septimus Trevor had recently learned of. Soon, though, it was established that Sir Anthony had little knowledge of chemistry and none what so ever of Humphry Davy. Felix was understandably disappointed and quite ready to improve all of their understanding on the subject of the recently invented light-bulb and furthering their learning of various chemicals, and was only prevented from doing so by Alverstoke's intervention. He achieved this diversion by saying blandly, "You must make this information known to me sometime, Felix, when I am not so preoccupied by a guest!" and proceeded to solicitously inquire after Sir Anthony's family.

He replied that his beloved father had died some years previous, leaving not only his son behind, but also a widow and a young - and if that partial brother was to be deemed accurate - very pretty daughter.

"Is she still in your care, Sir Anthony?" inquired Frederica.

"She is at Lymton Hall, but it would be unjust to say under my care!" answered Sir Anthony, considering. "She is but a year my junior and needs no one to provide for her, for she is actually very well set herself, having inherited a vast sum from a close friend of our family. No, I would say that Effie is more like to stay at Lymton for the benefit of Mother than for her own comfort. Although," he added reflectively, "I daresay she is happier there than in town! Indeed, she has so much freedom, and being that she loves to ride and drive as much as I do myself it cannot but be the most pleasant circumstance!"

"That is exceedingly comfortable," said Frederica warmly, her original puzzlement regarding the friendship now relieved with the simple knowledge that Sir Anthony shared the same intense love for horses as did her brother. "But should we understand then that she could be in town if she desired?"

"Oh yes!" replied Sir Anthony cheerfully, "and she was brought out by my Aunt Torrington but upon my Uncle Torrington's death Aunt found herself quite obliged to withdraw from her social obligations, in fact was so affected she was unable to do anything of that sort for some time. Effie returned home after only a fortnight in town and has since little thought of leaving, though Aunt is well recovered by now and would not mind Effie coming in the slightest, but we, none of us, can convince her that it would be beneficial! She has a companion, of sorts, you know, in a Miss Allworth, who I must say is a perfectly unexceptionable lady, so I do not feel the slightest head on the subject of her being left alone as such at Lymton when I am away. "

At this point he paused for his dish to be removed, and Alverstoke took advantage of the silence to say thoughtfully, "The Lymton Hall you speak of; it is but fifteen miles or less from here, is it not?"

"Yes, sir, a trifling distance! Jessamy has already promised to ride over for many agreeable visits during his holiday."

Jessamy inserted quickly, "if you are agreeable, of course, Alverstoke!"

"My dear boy," said Alverstoke, amused. "You have not the faintest need to ask my permission! You are rather, er, mature enough to choose your own friends!"

Jessamy grinned, "Oh, I know! I was thinking more about taking your hunters out of the stable without your say so."

"Ah, how slow I seem to be today! Well, you may rest easy that there is no one I trust more with my horses! Much I would be saying about my own teaching ability to forbid you the use of them! . . . You have my full consent to take the greys, if you wish to drive."

"Thank y-you, sir!" stammered Jessamy, ready to be reduced to incoherence in light of the honour bestowed upon him, but was saved from this incidence by Alverstoke, who summarily dismissed his own generosity and turned the dialogue to include the other diners. The conversation again focused on Sir Anthony's family, and by the time they roused from dinner somewhat later and Sir Anthony announced that he must continue his journey - as he'd written to advise his mother and sister of his return and did not want to unnecessarily alarm them by coming home later than he'd promised - he cordially included the Marquis and Marchioness, and, if he could be induced to drag himself from his experiments long enough to join them, Felix, in the invitation to visit Lymton at any time.

They parted on the friendliest terms, Sir Anthony's curricle being brought to the door by Reefing, and providing Alverstoke an excellent opportunity to look over what Jessamy had previously described to him as 'a bang-up pair'.

"Light steppers; exceptionally straight movement and very well sprung in the ribs!" his lordship remarked as the curricle faded from sight. "Jessamy, I congratulate you in your choice of friends!"