That she must somehow contrive, and without Uchiha's knowledge, was by this time a fixed determination in Naru's mind.

/Our New Lady/

/Uchiha/

Alone in the Main House, she was caught in a whirl of reflections that scarcely soothed her already irritated nerves. Strong convictions about her being alone and friendless were leaving depressions in her thoughts. Soon she was thinking that she was friendless and hunted into the bargain. These restless and dark thoughts were beginning to take strong possession of Naru's mind. She sank into a slough of self-pity, seeing her debt as a sum large enough to have ruined a Nabob. Her mind conjured an unjust vision of her husband as a miser with a heart of flint and her a wrongly convicted one who fell into a trap set for her by the scorning dames around town.

Her troubled gaze lighted to her ungloved hand, which donned a bracelet with a grey ruby set heavily in silver, given to her by Sasuke; this immediately dispelled that unjust vision of Sasuke and led to her remembering plenty of other memories. Just because she had once admired a friend's barouche he had given her one for her very own, and with a pair of horses that took the shine out of every other pair to be seen in town. Her eyes flitted to the dresser heavily laden with jewel-boxes and a looking-glass surrounded by shelves with boxes of similar purpose. Her self-pity turned immediately in an instant to self-blame.

From being a tyrannical miser Uchiha became the most generous man alive. Few more breaths later she was convinced that this most generous man mas quite the most ill-used too; and she the very embodiment of selfishness, extravagance, and ingratitude. Then recalling Kurama (though she wasn't sure if those words could be believed) she added blindness and stupidity to these vices. It now seemed to her wonderful that Uchiha should have remained patient for so long. Perhaps he was even regretting the impulse that had made him offer for her.

A soft knock emmerged from the door to her quarters; her dresser entered and curtseyed, saying: 'My lady has a visitor.'

Naruto noted the loathing with which she had uttered the word "visitor" and her thoughts immediately flew to Lady Orsett. She had seen the lady turning into the Grounds, earlier, and had thought (fervently wished) that she had maybe come to pay the Chudleighs a calling; but seeing her dressers mood she immediately knew that it was naught. For everyone currently in their household seemed to despise the fair Lady Orsett with as much enthusiasm as their own Lady despised her; so it was not that hard to fancy that she had decided to pay her a visit.

Naru nodded to her woman and left her quarters, going down to the drawing-room, where she was sure Farley would announce Orsett to her. Her dresser left, to notify Farley, and not long after Farley entered the room and held open the door, saying (in an empty and polite tone): 'Her ladyship Orsett, my lady, is here to call on you.'

'Thank you, Farley,' Naru said (taking the proper airs for a lady of the house). 'You may now leave.'

He bowed to them and left their views, the doors staying open; where a fine lady with dark hair and brown eyes held herself. Naru and lady Orsett gazed steadily at each other for the length of two seconds (ticked away by the grandfather clock), but to them it seemed as though an hour or two had flew by. Lady Orsett broke their staring match by curtseying and saluting Lady Uchiha.

'How do you do, Naruto?'

Naru was sorely tempted to glare at her and spit the unfriendly words in her mouth out; but her manners (and thought that she should compose herself as an Uchiha would) won over, she dipped her own short curtsey and said: 'Very well, how do you do?'

The guest walked forward, her slippers barely making a sound on the carpet, a calculating shine taken to her eyes. 'I am doing well, well, as well as one can be when offended.'

If Naruto felt anything from these words, it didn't show on her features or body language. Her reply didn't miss it's beat. 'Pardon me, I can't seem to comprehend you,' said her ladyship. 'Please, take a seat.'

They sat in the chairs, lady Orsett seeming to approve of the velvet cushions and comfortable seats. 'I understand that when someone calls, they are received by the head of house, unless one is ill.'

Lady Uchiha was not blind enough to miss the implications, but her outer demeanour did not even waver. 'I beg your pardon, if I offended you; I am, after all, Lady of the House.'

'I was talking about Sasuke, Namikaze.'

Her eyes could have cooled molten metals when Naru heard these few words; she passionately disliked the familiar way Orsett was addressing Sasuke, everyone (even family) spoke his name as Uchiha. But not one person should have been able to find difference between her earlier emotions and those of now, she didn't even flinch.

'When I addressed that man, earlier,' said Orsett. 'I made it clear that I came to call on Head of House... I should have known that I would not have been welcomed properly.'

'Oh, dear, Sasuke is gone, did you not know?'

'That explains your presence,' she muttered, adding. 'I should be on my way, since it is so.'

With that she brought an abrupt end to her call and left the Uchiha Grounds; leaving an unhappy Naru, who was adding Orsett in her thoughts. Her earlier thoughts of Uchiha returned full-force and she was convinced that Sasuke was disgusted with her formalities and was driving himself away to Lady Orsett. Mama had instructed her to accept the fact that Another Interest was one of the inescapable crosses a wife must bear with complaisance; but between the girl who had supposed herself to be making a marriage of convenience and the girl who was brought to realize that hers was a love-match, there was a vast difference.

Mama would scarcely have recognized her 'docile,' beautifully-mannered daughter in the bright-eyed young woman who uttered (at the departing carriage) between clenched teeth: 'She shan't have him!'

This determination, excellent though it might be, only strengthened her resolve to settle Madame Lavalle's bill without applying to Uchiha.

A very little reflection convinced Naru that there was only one way in which she could raise enough feathers to settle her accounts.

It must be borrowed.

/Our New Lady/

/Uchiha/

Naru dressed herself with great care for her expedition, choosing from the formidable collection of walking dresses in her wardrobe one made of cambric; made high to the neck and with long sleeves, a cable trimming bordered the sleeves and necking to relieve the dress' austerity. This was cause of a reason she could not have explained; she felt that when one visited a moneylender one's habit should be as modest as possible, so she added a sarsnet pelisse of dark blue to her ensemble. This lent her a note of sobriety. When she had to choose her hat, the only one she had that approached sobriety was made of olive brown silk. No exigency could ever induce Naru to wear this with a blue pelisse, so she was obliged to chose a frivolous bonnet trimmed with lace and flowers but matched the blue pelisse. A thick veil was added to her fit, serving the double purpose of providing a disguise and a touch of rather dowdy respectability.

It staggered her dresser, making her suspicious of her ladyship; but Naru (wracking her brain for a response) glibly said that the dust had slightly roughened her cheeks. This explanation seemed to satisfy Miss Sutton, for she nodded and set to help Naru braid her hair away from her face, in two tails.

Done with avoiding her strict dresser's suspicions, Naru had expected more difficulties in the way of setting forth from Uchiha Grounds alone and on foot. But she overcame these by ordering her carriage round to take her to Green Park, where (she said) she was going to walk with some friends. There, she was done avoiding any more suspicions.

She ran into Sakura on the way out, though. Sakura asked her where she was heading.

'Only for a walk in Green Park,' she said. Then (knowing that Sakura might have liked to come along), adding happily. 'I arranged to meet with Karin and a few of her friends, they shan't mind, I'm sure, if I bring one of my own friends.'

Naruto knew that they disliked each other and had purposefully said this.

'No, thank you,' Sakura said with the beginnings of a sneer. 'I'd rather talk to Sasuke than to that squat...thing. In stead, I am going to leave on a shopping expedition with Martha.'

Naru was now well on her way to the walking date she and her acquaintances had "arranged." All the way to Bath Gate she reflected upon borrowing. Kurama had rather unexpectedly condemned this expedient, but Naru knew that Papa had had dealings with a moneylender, so that borrowing with interest (though it might be an expensive practice), could not be a crime. She understood that a continued borrowing could be ruinous; but it was absurd to suppose that anything very dreadful would happen if one borrowed only for a few weeks. It would be paid at the end of June, and no one need ever know anything about it.

The more she considered it, the more Naru liked the scheme, and the more she was inclined to attribute Kurama's severe attitude to some antiquated notion of propriety.

Even the most careless of brothers could be amazingly stuffy on any question of conduct: that was one of the incomprehensible things about men. Kurama, warmly approving the generously displayed charms of a certain actress, almost in the same breath could speak censoriously of his sister's gown; if it were cut lower than usual, or clung too closely for his suddenly austere taste. Papa had said that modesty and discretion were the two virtues he considered most indespensable in a female. But there had been nothing in Papa's career to suggest this: far otherwise! Even Sasuke suffered from this peculiarity. He had not criticized her riament, but he had made it no secret of the fact that he expected from her and his cousin a degree of (oh, dowdy!) decorum.

Which he did not practice himself, Naru sniped in her thoughts, Lady Orsett creeping into her thoughts.

'I will have no scandal in my household,' Uchiha had said inflexibly, just as though he had not been creating scandal along the same lines as her brother.

Set down at the Bath Gate, Naru entered Green Park and strolled for a little while beside the Basin, trying to recruit her ebbing courage. An unwelcome thought had occured to her: would not Mr King wish to know her identity? She had not previously considered this possibility and realized that not even the most obliging moneylender was likely to advance a large sum of money to an unknown and heavily-veiled lady.

For while it would be a simple matter, and quite in unembarrassing, to arrange a loan under a cloak of anonymity, it was another matter altogether to be obliged to announce: "I am Lady Uchiha."

She turned into Clarges Street, and was soon abreast of the discreet-looking house in which Mr King carried his business (and was obviously not his official home). She hesitated, seeing that there was someone on the opposite side of the street, who was looking at her, and walked on, her embarrassment and nervousness hidden under her veil. When she ventured to look round, he had disappeared from her view, so she turned and began to walk back. By this time Naruto was sincerely wishing herself a hundred miles away, thoughts of Jiraiya filling her. She was indeed dreading what lay before her, no longer sustained by the comforting reflection that it was not a crime, after all.

And again, she walked past Mr King's business house.

From a window in a house on the other side of the street belonging to George Burnley, Mr Tobi had been observing these vacillations through his quizzing-glass. The particular crony whom he had come to visit, demanded if anything was amiss. For George had addressed several remarks to Obito without receiving any other answer than an absent-minded grunt and wanted to find out whay was claiming his attention.

He was ignored; or seemingly not heard.

Outside, on the cobbled streets, a female figure with a single lock of yellow hair dropping from her bonnet turned around and paced to the Jew King's house, slowly turning up to the door steps.

Obito, letting his glass fall on the end of its ribbon, exclaimed softly: 'Good God!' and hastily picked up his hat and gloves. 'Can't stay!' he said. 'Remembered something important!'

His astonished friend protested, but Obito, who was in general polite to a point, did not stay to listen. He was out of the house in a matter of seconds, crossing the street with long strides.

/Our New Lady/

/Uchiha/

With the Uchiha down at Merion

'Your research was fruitful, I suppose.'

It was Uchiha who had spoken, he was once more in the company of his brother; Itachi.

'Yes, very,' the long-haired man answered. 'I wrote to your.. friend, the Viscount Kurama.'

Sasuke's eyes betrayed jealousy, his brother had written a letter to that moron but hadn't written any to him! Why had not Kurama rubbed it in his face? knowing him he would have. But the Earl of Uchiha only managed an unregistering grunt.

'I wrote to him about my research,' said Itachi, his eyes gazing warmly at the fields before them.

The Earl very much wanted to demand his brother why he had written to that stupid blonde, and demand why he had not written to him in stead. He had not needed to say anything, for Itachi had glanced at him, amused understanding appearing in form of a smirk.

'He wrote back to me saying I should talk to Lord Hatake,' continued the Uchiha.

Sasuke briefly remembered the silver-haired young man who had he had seen in Kurama's presence so frequently; then he recalled the same man, only this time he was the much-adored gentleman who could solve any problem within seconds. Okay, maybe the Viscount hadn't erred, for once.

'I doubt Hatake would be of much help, Brother.'

'Always quick to judge, Otouto,' he reprimanded. 'You do not even know what Hatake replied.'

Sasuke was curious. 'And what did he reply?'

'He didn't reply,' said Itachi, chuckling at the incredule Sasuke was leaking. 'So I asked Kurama what Sir Kakashi thoughts were..' he dug into his inner cloak and brought out a piece of paper. 'Here, see for yourself.'

Sasuke took the paper and commenced reading, his brow twitching now and then at the straightforward lack of civility. It said Kakashi was pretending to not be interested ''but I'd bet this fox-cub that he's awaiting your return with impatience.''

'What hit my fancy was the cub, did he hunt one down?'

'No, of course not,' Sasuke huffed.

'Then he keeps it as a pet, I suppose?'

'No, he keeps a glowing cat as his pet,' Sasuke said, quite fed up with talking about the Viscount.

'Then, why did he mention a fox?'

'Just to impress you.'

'I doubt it, Kurama never bets something that he doesn't have.'

/Our New Lady/

/Uchiha/

Back in London with Naruto

Naru, drawing in a resolute breath, mounted the first steps leading to Mr King's front door when she heard herself accosted in slightly breathless accents.

'Cousin!'

She had most nearly squealed with startle, limbs jumping, before looking round. There she saw Obito.

Mr Tobi raised his hat from his head and executed the bow for which he was famous. 'Very happy to have met you!' he said. 'Beg you will allow me to escort you home!'

'Sir!' Naru uttered with outrage in what she hoped was a stranger's voice.

Apparently it was not.

'Can't hope to deceive me in that bonnet,' explained Obito apologetically. 'You wore it the day I drove you to the Botanic Gardens.'

Acutely aware of the goggling gaze fixed on him from the window across the street, he added: 'Take my arm! George Burnley has his eye on us, and it won't do for him to recognize you. Not that I think he will, but no sense in running the risk.'

'Pray don't stay for me,' Naru said, trying to speak in a careless way. 'I - I have some business to transact!'

'Yes, I know. That's why I came across the road.'

'You know?' she reapeated, feeling rather scared. 'But you cannot know, Obito! Besides-'

'What I mean is, know whose house this is,' he explained. 'It ain't a concern of mine, but it won't do for ypu to be doing business with Jew King, cousin. What's more, if Uchiha knew-'

Involuntarily, she cried: 'You won't tell Sasuke?'

His smooth brow twitched and he was about to refute (with a considerable indignation) the suggestion that he was a tale-bearer (or tattle-tale, take your pick) when the notorious Uchiha prudence intervened. He temporized. 'I won't tell him if you let me escort you home. If you don't... nothing else for me to do.'

Naru gaped at him for a few seconds. 'Obito, I never thought you could be so ungentlemanly!'

'No,' he agreed. 'To tell you the truth, I didn't either.'

He grasped his cuff and pulled, straightening the sleeve of his waistcoat. 'But the thing is it would be a dashed sight more ungentlemanly to go off and leave you get into a pickle. Jew King! Lord, cousin, do you know the fellow has an ornamental villa on the river? Slap up to the sevens! Never seen it, have you?'

'No, what that has to say to anything!' retorted Naru, quite crossly.

'Point is, where did he find the blunt to pay for it? From people like you, cousin! Take my word for it!'

'Yes, yes, but I only wish for a loan, just - just a very temporary one!'

'Believe me, fatal!' he said earnestly. He then drew her hand through his arm, and obliged her to walk with him up the street and away from Burnley's prying eyes (oh, if he didn't wake up to a round of rumours by the morrow, then London wasn't in top shape).

After a pause Mr Tobi coughed and said delicately: 'Very reluctant to offend you - awkward sort of business! Thing is, might be able to be of service. Plump in the pocket, you know.'

She was s good deal touched, but said at once: 'No, indeed! I am sure there was never anyone as kind as you, Obito, but that would be outside of enough! Also, don't suppose that I have the habit of borrowing money: this - there are reasons - why I don't wish to apply to Uchiha for this particular sum! Don't let us talk about it! It is of no moment, after all.'

'Certainly not: shouldn't dream of prying into your affairs, cousin!' he replied. 'Only wish to say -at least, I don't, but must! - feel myself obliged to ask you to promise me you won't come running back here as soon as my back's turned!'

She sighed, but gave her word. 'No, I won't do that, if you think it is so very bad.'

'Worst thing in the world!' he assured her.

'I don't see why it should be. After all-'

'You may not see why, but it ain't a bit of use telling me you didn't know it was a bad thing, because I've been watching you,' said Mr Tobi severely. 'Going backwards and forwards like a cat on a hot bake-stone!'

'Oh how can you say such an uncivil thing?' she protested, not even thinking that; had it been someone else Obito had told that to, she would have had a fit of laughter. 'I did not!'

But he didn't take back his words. 'That's what it looked like to me,' he said, with a great firmness. 'Not the moment for civility, either. Got a great regard for you, cousin. Dashed fond of Sasuke, too. Wouldn't wish to see either of you in a tangle.'

He tucked his orange tinted quizzing-glass into his waistcoat awkwardly (at least, as awkward as an Uchiha can appear) and said: 'Thing is - nothing he wouldn't give you! Sasuke, that is. Officious thing to do - giving you advice - but if you're in a fix you tell Sasuke, not Jew King!'

She said unhappily: 'There are circumstances which- Oh, I can't explain it to you, but he mustn't know of this, surely, no!'

To her unspoken relief he forbore to press her on the matter. But the young Countess would have been dismayed had she known the construction he had put together on her words.

If Naru had incurred a debt she dare not disclose to Sasuke, it was plain as a pike-staff that she had embroiled herself in her brother's chaotic affairs. In Mr Tobi's view that was almost the only form of expenditure Uchiha would not tolerate. Sasuke would probably not take gaming debts in good part either, but Obito did not think that Naru was a gamester. He remembers once struggling to support her (while her brother and cousin played furiously neck-to-neck across the table from them) through several rubbers of whist.

An experience which had left him in doubt of her ability to distinguish spades from clubs.

He had made an offer to rescue her from her fix in good faith, but now after having mulled the idea in his brain, he was considerably relieved that she had instantly refused it. Obito was uneasily aware that by assuming the rÃle of Naru's cicisbeo-in-chief he jad certainly laid himself open to attack. For, if the truth (him borrowing his cousin-in-law some blunt) leaked out, it might involve him in a quarrel with Sasuke, who would certainly feel that he had behaved in a very improper way by not bringing him to light of his wife's problem.

Nor had he the smallest desire to contribute towards Kurama's relief. Thank you.

Mr Tobi, a gentleman of the first respectability, and a high stickler in all matters of taste and conduct, disapproved unequivocally of such dashing blades as Kurama. Feat such as jumping one's horse over a loaded dinner-table awoke no admiration in his breast, for anything that set people in an uproar (to him) was bad ton, and to be in bad ton was to be beyond pardon.

The world of fashion might embrace all manner of men: the Out-and-Outers, the Tulips, the Dashes, the Tippies, and the Bloods: but the first style of elegance could only be achieved by those whose dress and deportment were characterized by an exquisite moderation.

Viscount Namikaze was never moderate. In the saddle he was a hard-goer; on the road his ambition was to give the go-by to every other vehicle; in the gaming-room, not content, like a plenty other men, to sport a little blunt on the table, he played deep. He engaged in hare-brained pranks; and the chances were that if you met him any time after 1500 hours you would find him foxed already. Obito wasn't very straight-laced, and thus wasn't adverse to a man becoming ripe during the course of a convivial evening (which he was certain Kurama scarcely lacked); but either Kurama had an uncommonly weak head, or was carrying drinking propensity beyond the acceptable. As for his debts, the young man did not know how to keep from running into standstill again, even after Sasuke resolved his cases (which he did without doubt [Obito never really understood their rivalry; it was not like his and Kakashi's, for sure]). It would be typical of him, Obito considered, to apply to his sister fur succour; and ridiculous to suppose that Naru would refuse, cats, everyone in town knew just how thick they were.

All in all Mr Tobi had a very fair idea of what his cousin's feelings would be if he found Naruto (don't forget her daisy-hackled brother) out in such deception. Someone, he decided, ought to drop Sasuke a hint now, before any serious mischief had been done, and while the Earl was still so much in love with Naru that he would find it easy to excuse her if she burned the Main House down. He momentarily regretted having promised Naru that he would not betray her to Uchiha. But as soon as he played with the notion of being the one to tell Sasuke; his imagination boggled at it.

Obito decided that under no circumstances could he have done it.

The proper person to do such a courageous feat was someone with something akin to the Uzumaki boldness. His thoughts flitted to a red-haired lady who was polite and firm in her decisions. But she wasn't currently in town, instead she was overseas to see oversee her clan businesses, only logical thing to do was wait Lady Uzumaki's return.

Naru' voice intruded on these ruminations. 'You are very silent!' she said.

'I was thinking,' he said.

'About - about this matter?' she asked anxiously.

Without missing a beat, he said: 'No. Thinking we should take a look-in at Gunter's. You'd like an ice, I dare say. Just the thing!'

/Our New Lady/

/Uchiha/

Rescued from the perils of Clarges Street, and restored to the shelter of her own house, Naruto hardly knew whether to be grateful to Mr Tobi, or resentful. Her dependence now was all on Kurama, whom she had not seen since the night of the masquerade, and who might have taken a pet at having his ingenious plot frustrated, or (which was even more likely) have forgotten all about her troubles. She and Sakura were going to the Opera that evening, where it was extremely improbable that she would meet him; so she wrote a letter to him, telling him to call on in Uchiha Grounds.

She had hardly dispatched this missive, standing up to go and meet with Kurama (the fox-cub), when Sakura came in. In general, when she went shopping, she would come back laden with parcels and eager to show her catches with Naru; but on this occasion she had nothing to show but a disconsolate face.

She explained that she had a stupid morning.

'Selina seemed pretty stout, I'd say the Thornes are doing well. Fanny was gone with my aunt to Mrs Mei's place, to arrange to have her likeness taken. Selina says aunt and uncle are in transports at Humby, though I can't think why; for he presents a very off appearance, don't you think?'

Naru wondered whether her cousin's approaching betrothal was accountable for the clouded look on Sakura's face.

'I don't know that. I believe he is very respectable,' she responded. 'I recollect it was Mrs Thistleton, then, who was with Miss Selina Thorne?"

'Yes, and I can tell you that I was soon wishing her at the deuce!' said Sakura, her expression vivid. 'She is increasing, and bent on telling the whole of London!'

The image of a pregnant Mrs Thistleton bending in half and telling the map of London that she was increasing sprung to the top of Naru's mind.

'You would suppose no one has ever been in her situation, for she could talk of nothing else!'

The image soon morphed into her chattering and chattering away at Sakura while rubbing her belly.

'And then what must we do but walk into Lady Eastwell!'

Oh no, Naru thought, amused. Last she saw Lady Eastwell, she was walking around the park with a very round midsection. Now her thoughts conjured Sakura being held down by two pregnant, chattering ladies.

'She expects to be confined next month, and nothing could be like her simperings and sighings and affections! Sir Godfrey is aux anges over the petit paquet she means to present to him!'

The ladies in Naru's head were soon simpering and wrapping their midsections with bows.

'Petit paquet! Un trÃs grand paquet, I should think, for I never saw anyone so large! I was vexed to death, dawdling along in her company, and being obliged to listen to such insipid stuff! She used to be the most entertaining creature! I do hope won't turn into a bothersome bore when you start increasing, Naru!'

Sakura smiled at the embarrassment colouring Naru's features, fortunately she decided to not tease her about it and in stead picked up the latest number of the Ladies' Magazine, and was contemptuously flicking over the pages, and commenting disparagingly on the fashions depicted in this valuable periodical; so Naru had time in which to recover her countenance.

'Good Heavens, I never saw anything so dowdy! . . . Slate-coloured twilled sarnset, lined with white - what a figure to make of oneself! . . . Do these new Bishop-sleeves hit your fancy? I don't think them pretty at all... and as for this evening gown, with French braces over the bodice-!'

'I liked the picture of the pelisse, with the round cape,' Naru said, trying to infuse her voice with interest.

'For my part, I think it's no more than tolerable. Unless one is a regular Long Meg, those capes make one appear positively squat! Hair-brown merino coloured, too! Horribly drab!' Sakura cast the Ladies' Magazine aside and relaxed.

After a brief moment of hesitation, Sakura said, in a voice whose carelessness was a little studied: 'By the by, I shall have to cry off going with you to Somerset House tomorrow, Naru. Selina has been telling me that my aunt is hipped because I have not been calling on her quite lately. Saying she hadn't thought I could show such a want of affection, or have my head turned so utterly that I no longer care to be with her. You know how it is with her!' she said, adding.

'So, if you aren't particularly wishing to look at pictures tomorrow - I daresay they will be a dead bore, too! - I think I should go to my aunt's and make her comfortable again.'

/Our New Lady/

/Uchiha/

Corner of Bolton Street and Piccadilly;

Watier's

Watier's, which was situated on the corner of Bolton Street and Piccadilly, in an unpretentious house which had once been a gaming establishment of quite a different order. It was generally supposed to owe it's existence to the Prince Regent. Watier had been one of his cooks, but the Prince (upon learning from some of his friends that a good dinner was not to be had at any of the London clubs), had conceived the benovelent notion of providing gentlemen of high ton with a dining-club not just in the common style, and had suggested to Watier that he was the very man to carry out this pleasing design.

The idea had taken; and in partnership with two other royal servants Mr Watier embarked on the venture. It had prospered so well that within a very few years he was able to retire from active participation in the business of running the club. By that time what had opened as a dining-club (with excellent cooking, carefully chosen wines, and harmonic assemblies as it's attractions), had blossomed into the most exclusive as well as the most ruinous of all London's gaming clubs. The dinners continued to be the best tjat could be had in town; and to be admitted to membership was the object of every aspirant to fashion. Play began at twenty-one hundred hours and continued all night.

From the circumstance of Prince Regent's holding one of his bachelor parties at Carlton House that evening, the club was rather thin of company.

Mr Tobi, strolling in at midnight, found the macao-room deserted by all but a few collection of persons who figured (in his estimation) either as prosy old stagers, or as tippies on the strut. The company failed to attract him, and he was just about to leave the premises when he was suddenly smitten by an idea.

It was not a very welcome idea and he did not look forward (in the least degree of pleasure) to putting his idea into action. But it was the best notion that had occured to him during the course of a day which had been largely devoted to wrestling with the problem of Naruto's financial difficulties.

/Our New Lady/

/Uchiha/