Meanwhile, George is reading a letter from Billie Dore when Lord Marshmoreton knocks on his door. In it, she relates to him that the stage door Johnnie who has been romancing one of the young actresses (see Summary Part I) is up to no good. He told the girl that he had to leave London suddenly, but Billie says she saw him on the street after he was supposed to have left and, upon noticing her, he fled the scene. She also tells George that if he sees "dada" to tell him not to forget the roses, a sentence which mystifies him.
When George lets Lord M. in, he is still under the impression that the man is a gardener, no doubt bringing him a message from Maud. He is shocked to discover that the man he met pottering about Belpher's gardens in corduroy trousers is actually the lord of the manor and the father of Maud. He quickly recovers, however, and strikes up a friendly conversation with Lord M., much to the nobleman's dismay, as he's come to warn George away from his daughter. He reluctantly finds himself liking the affable young man, and admits to George that he himself wouldn't be opposed to the match, but he wants a quiet life and his family won't leave him alone unless he forbids George to associate with Maud. George respectfully declines to follow this order and expects Lord M. to leave, but instead he lingers to ask George for Billie's address. He hastily explains that he promised to send her some roses, but one of the maids was cleaning his desk and threw away the paper with her address on it. The meaning of Billie's post script dawns on George, and he gives Lord M. the address of the theater, explaining that Billie is appearing in one of his musicals there. He also says that he has known Billie since she was a stenographer at a music company, and that she's a great person. Lord M. leaves happily, the fact that he has not gotten rid of George slipping his mind.
Maud is also having a rough time of it. Every time she attempts to sneak off to see George, some relative pops out of the shrubbery wanting to walk with her, or suggest some sport or another. She is further upset by the fact that she's sent another note to George via Albert and he has not replied. She fears that, after her father's visit, George has decided not to help her. Of course, the real reason is that Albert is now playing for the other team and never delivered her note.
Speaking of Albert, he is also miserable- deservedly so- because of the failure of his attempts to get Reggie to woo Lady Maud. Despite a slew of advice notes which he has left for Reggie (signed "Doctor Cupid") all Reggie does is hang around Alice, taking no notice of Maud. Little does Albert know that Reggie is earnestly following his advice with no inkling that Maud was the intended object of it.
Unlike his offspring, Lord Marshmoreton is in the best of spirits. To the bemusement of his servants, he is skipping around the rose gardens looking years younger and happily whistling old music hall tunes. No one knows quite what to make of it.