Berry Conway, saddled with his ex-nannie, now over-motherly and gossipy
housekeeper, Mrs Wisdom, lives in Valley Fields and works in the City as
secretary to dyspeptic American millionaire (Torquil) Paterson Frisby.
Berry's school friend Biscuit (Lord Biskerton) is engaged to Frisby's
niece, beautiful, rich Ann Moon. To baffle his creditors Biscuit goes to
live in the house next to Berry in Valley Fields, and calls himself Smith.
To prevent his fiancée from following and Discovering All, he pretends he
has mumps. Next door, on the other side of Berry's house, is staying a
diminutive American girl, Kitchie Valentine. Biscuit falls for her across
the fence. Meanwhile Berry has fallen for Ann Moon and she for him.
Berry has, from an aunt, inherited a lot of worthless-looking shares
including the ownership of the Dream Come True copper mine, next door to
the Horned Toad mine owned by Frisby. After a lot of good legal and
financial skulduggery the Dream Come True justifies its name.
All very fizzy. Biscuit is an amiable buzzer, Berry a nice simple hero. And
they are going to marry delightful American girls. Extra dividends are:
Biscuit's indigent and sponging father, man-about-town sixth Earl of
Hoddesdon; a fine conference between sharp financiers and their lawyers; an
Old Boys' dinner; and Lord Hoddesdon's visit to Valley Fields in a grey
topper, which causes derision, disgust and a chase up Mulberry Grove.
This book is a locus classicus for Valley Fields.
Source: Richard Usborne. Plum Sauce. A P G Wodehouse Companion.