Fanny Barbour's collateral cousin, the octogenarian playboy and the Barbour's house guest, Mr Consider Martin, has slept blissfully through the daylight hours in Margaret's old room on the second floor, and now at six o'clock on a balmy April evening, comes gaily downstairs in a dinner jacket, holding his golden cane. He finds his host and hostess in the library, where Fanny welcomes him warmly, and Henry makes his excuses to leave the room.