You, My Guest

When the members of Ambrose Bryden’s family received an imperative summons to dine they were inclined to look upon it as a passing whim, but the discovery that their mother, had been fetched from the Riviera gave the proceedings a touch of lunacy. Amidst the storm of protest incurred by this peremptory request Ambrose announces that it will be the last occasion on which they will dine together as he is going to prison. In order to satisfy the expensive tastes of his family he has been embezzling the profits of a trust fund for which, as the head of a firm of solicitors, he has shared the trusteeship with his clerk Caleb Vigar. A selfish family, they do not improve when faced by this crisis. Raymond, a parson, can think only of his engagement to the Bishop’s daughter, and Vernon of his political career. While Shirley’s outlook is influenced by a slick husband and Judy is prepared to let one of her arty boy friends keep her on the usual terms. William Kirby, who now benefits by the trust after the sudden death of the woman for whom the firm of Bryden was acting, is not to be bought off for he is an old enemy of Ambrose’s; ruin seems imminent when Caleb Vigar arrives. Presumed to have been ignorant of the happenings of the last fifteen years he has been well aware of their significance; by a deft performance as a forger of his superior’s name he proves that it is in his power to reverse the position making himself appear the guilty party and Ambrose ignorant of the theft. His only condition for taking responsibility is that his children shall be cared for, but Ambrose will not accept the sacrifice. The impasse is broken by the news of Kirkby’s sudden death leaving his young daughter as his heir. Ambrose Bryden will be able to make amends in his own time while his wife Marion and family are free to go their own extravagant ways.