William demanded of his son as Kate entered the nursery.

'Perhaps he'll end up doing something worthwhile,' said Kate.

'What's more worthwhile than banking?' William enquired.

'Well, he might be a musician, or a baseball player, or even President of the United States.'

'Of those three I'd prefer him to be a ball player - it's the only one of your suggestions that pays a decent salary,' said William as he tucked Richard into bed.

Richard's last words before sleeping were, 'Tree, Daddy.' William gave in.

It wasn't his day.

'You look exhausted, darling. I hope you haven't forgotten that we're having drinks later with Andrew MacKenzieT 'Hell, Andrew's party had totally slipped my mind. What time is he expecting us?,'

'In about an hour.'

'Well, first I'm going to take a long, hot bath.'

'I thought that was a woman's privilege,' said Kate.

'Tonight I need a little pampering. I've had a nerveracking day.'

'Tony bothering you again?'

Tes, but I am afraid this time Fies in the right. He's been complaining about Matthew's drinking habits. I was only thankful he didn't mention the womanising. It's become impossible to take Matthew to any party nowadays without the eldest daughter, not to mention the occasional wife, having to be locked away for their own safety. Will you run my bath?'

William sat in the tub for more than half an hour, and Kate had to drag him out before he fell asleep. Despite her prompting they arrived at the MacKenzie's twenty - five minutes late, only to find that Matthew, already well on the way to being inebriated, was trying to pick up a congressman's wife. William wanted to intervene, but Kate prevented him from doing so.

'Don't say anything,' she whispered.

'I can't stand here and watch him going to pieces in front of my eyes,'

said William. 'He's my closest friend. I have to do something.'

But in the end he took Kate's advice and spent an unhappy evening watching Matthew become progressively drunk. Tony Simmons, from the other side of the room, was glancing pointedly at William, who was relieved at Matthew's early departure, even though it was in the company of the only unattached woman left at the party. Once Matthew had gone William started to relax for the first time that day.

'How is little Richard?' Andrew MacKenzie asked.

'He can't say "three",'said William.

'Might turn out to do something civilised after all,' said Doctor MacKenzie.

'Exactly what I thought,' said Kate. 'What a good idea William: he can be a doctor.'

'Pretty safe,' said Andrew. 'Don't know many doctors who can count past two.'

'Except when they send their bills,' said William.

Andrew laughed. 'Will you have another drink, Kate?'

'No thank you, Andrew. It's high time we went home. If we stay any longer, only Tony Simmons and William win be left, and they can both count past two so we would all have to talk banking the rest of the night.'

'Agreed,' said William. 'rhank you for a lovely party, Andrew. By the way, I must apologise for Matthew - s behaviour.'

'Why?'said Doctor MacKenzie.

'Oh, come on, Andrew. Not only was he drunk but there wasn't a woman in the room who felt safe left alone with himp 'I might well do the same if I were in his predicament,' said Andrew MacKenzie.

'What makes you say that?' said William 'You cant approve of his habits just because he's single!

'No, I don!t, but I try to understand them and realise I might be a little irresponsible faced with the same problem.'

'What do you mean?'asked Kate.

UY God,' said Doctor MacKenzie. 'He!s your closest friend, and he hasn't told you?'

'Told us what?' they said together.

Dr. MacKenzie stared at them both, a look of disbelief on his face.

'Come into my study.'

William and Kate followed the doctor into a small room, lined almost wall - to - wall with medical books, interspersed only with occasional, sometimes unframed, photographs of student days at Cornell.

'Please have a seat, Kate,' he said. 'William I make no apology for what I am about to say, because I assumed you knew that Matthew was gravely ill, dying, in fact~ of Hodgkin's disease. He has known about his condition for over a year!

William fell back in his chair, for a moment unable to speak. 'Hodgkin's disease?'

'An almost invariably fatal inflammation and enlargement of the lymph nodes,' said the doctor rather formally.