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dissolute behaviour.”
    He drew in his breath before he added,
    â€œIt would be unchristian, unfriendly and certainly unneighbourly to a man who has always been extremely kind to us to refuse our help in what is undoubtedly an acute emergency.”
    Della turned round and walked back towards her uncle.
    â€œYou say that Jason is coming home in three days time? I make no promises, Uncle Edward, but we will arrange a dinner party here and invite the Duke and Jason.”
    She knew by the expression on her uncle’s face how relieved he was by her words.
    â€œI will tell the Duke what you have suggested,” he said, “and I know how grateful he will be.”
    â€œPlease make it clear,” Della insisted quickly, “that I am not committed in any way and am just prepared to meet Jason who I have not seen for many years.”
    â€œYes. Yes, of course,” he replied rather testily. “That is understood. And there is always a chance that Jason will not wish to marry you.”
    â€œOf course.”
    She spoke almost confidently to please her uncle, but she was, however, well aware that the Duke was pushing his son with all his strength towards her.
    Doubtless from the monetary point of view it made the marriage seem very desirable to Jason. She was quite sure without being told, that he had come home with a multitude of debts as he had always done in the past.
    The Duke was a rich man and yet Della had often heard him saying to her uncle that if Jason carried on in his usual way, he would undoubtedly become a bankrupt.
    For years, because the Duke did not want more scandal than there was already, he had paid up all of his son’s debts. He had also increased, year after year, the very large allowance he gave him.
    Now, somewhat cynically, Della considered that one of the reasons Jason had returned home was because he had run out of money.
    Her uncle was looking at her in an apologetic manner and she sensed that he was ashamed of the sacrifice he was asking her to make.
    She walked towards him and kissed his cheek.
    â€œDo not worry, Uncle Edward, perhaps things will not be as bad as we expect. Perhaps the clouds will roll away and carry Jason with them!”
    Her uncle laughed as if he could not help it.
    â€œYou are being very brave, my dearest, and I admire and respect you for it. I know this is asking a great deal of any girl of your age.”
    He sighed and continued,
    â€œBut then your brain has always been very much older than your body and I know that it makes you understand the predicament we are both in.”
    â€œI do understand, Uncle Edward, and I will certainly think about what can be done, but for the moment – it is very – difficult to see the stars.”
    She did not wait for her uncle’s reply, but walked out of the room.
    When she had gone he raised his hand to wipe his forehead.
    He felt he had sweated from a battle that had actually not been as violent or as difficult as he had anticipated.
    He was well aware he was committing what was tantamount to a crime.
    He was asking a girl who was lovely, pure and innocent to tie herself up in matrimony to a man of Jason’s reputation.
    His first impulse, when the Duke had spoken to him, was to tell him such an idea was impossible.
    Then he soon became aware that his old friend was resolved with an iron determination to get his own way.
    He clearly thought that Lord Lainden was about to refuse his suggestion, so without further discussion he began to use every possible threat. In fact short of coming into the open he made it almost a fight to the death.
    To the Duke it was a miracle to have his son apologising for his behaviour and promising in every way to conduct himself very differently in the future.
    The Duke was obviously conscious that the odds were against him, so he was forced to use every available weapon to ensure that Jason made a new life for himself.
    No one would ever know how he and his