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ey. Where's that litter of little foxes? FREDA. [Smiling faintly] I expect father knows, Captain Keith. KEITH. You bet he does. Emigration? Or thin air? What? CHRISTINE. Studdenham'd never shoot a fox, Ronny. He's been here since the flood. KEITH. There's more ways of killing a cat--eh, Freda? CHRISTINE. [Moving with her husband towards the drawing-room] Young Dunning won't marry that girl, Ronny. KEITH. Phew! Wouldn't be in his shoes, then! Sir William'll never keep a servant who's made a scandal in the village, old girl. Bill come? As they disappear from the hall, JOHN LATTER in a clergyman's evening dress, comes sedately downstairs, a tall, rather pale young man, with something in him, as it were, both of heaven, and a drawing-room. He passes FREDA with a formal little nod. HAROLD, a fresh-cheeked, cheery-looking youth, comes down, three steps at a time. HAROLD. Hallo, Freda! Patience on the monument. Let's have a sniff! For Miss Lanfarne? Bill come down yet? FREDA. No, Mr. Harold. HAROLD crosses the hall, whistling, and follows LATTER into the drawing-room. There is the sound of a scuffle above, and a voice crying: "Shut up, Dot!" And JOAN comes down screwing her head back. She is pretty and small, with large clinging eyes. JOAN. Am I all right behind, Freda? That beast, Dot! FREDA. Quite, Miss Joan. DOT's face, like a full moon, appears over the upper banisters. She too comes running down, a frank figure, with the face of a rebel. DOT. You little being! JOAN. [Flying towards the drawing-roam, is overtaken at the door] Oh! Dot! You're pinching! As they disappear into the drawing-room, MABEL LANFARNE, a tall girl with a rather charming Irish face, comes slowly down. And at sight of her FREDA's whole figure becomes set and meaningfull. FREDA. For you, Miss Lanfarne, from my lady. MABEL. [In whose speech is a touch of wilful Irishry] How sweet! [Fastening the roses] And how are you, Freda? FREDA. Very well, thank you. MABEL. And your father? Hope he's going to let me come out with the guns again. FREDA. [Stolidly] He'll be delighted, I'm sure. MABEL. Ye-es! I haven't forgotten his face-last time. FREDA. You stood with Mr. Bill. He's better to stand with than Mr. Harold, or Captain Keith? MABEL. He didn't touch a feather, that day. FREDA. Pe
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