Duane proposes that Homer keep his sister away from department stores by sending her to an English country house that takes paying guests, and suggests Mellingham Hall, near the village Mellingham-in-the-Vale.

In London, comic cartoonist Gerald "Jerry" West attends jury duty, and falls in love with a fellow juror.

Vera wants Jerry to demand his inheritance, which is supposed to be held in trust for three more years, from his trustee, his uncle Willoughby "Bill" Scrope.

Bill's older brother, Crispin Scrope, struggles financially to maintain the manor he inherited, Mellingham Hall, and to pay off a broker's man from a repair company, obtains a loan of approximately two hundred pounds from Bill, who is a wealthy lawyer.

With the encouragement of her mother, actress Dame Flora Faye, Vera leaves Jerry to pursue the wealthier Homer.

He offers Cripsin two hundred pounds to steal it back from her, but Crispin likes Barney and initially refuses.

However, after Brotherly Love loses, coming in second, Crispin agrees to split the reward fifty-fifty with Chippendale, who will search Barney's room.

Brotherly Love was awarded victory since the winner was disqualified, so Crispin can pay off the broker's man.

The dust jackets of the first UK and US editions both feature the same design on the front by Osbert Lancaster.

Both dust jackets also have the same photograph on the back by Tom Blau, Camera Press, of Wodehouse walking with a dog.