It is the stated goal of one Frederick, the Earl of Ickenham and the
uncle of Pongo Twistleton, to spread sweetness and light wheresoever he
goes. And as he so seldom goes anywhere, being kept on a tight leash by
his lady wife, he is all the more determined in his efforts when
opportunity presents.

In the present instance, the good Earl has several aims. He wishes to
find a source of ready funds for his godson, impoverished author Johnny
Pearce, so that he can grant a decent pension to his old Nurse, so that
she can marry the local constable, so that he can marry his beloved
Belinda and offer her a home from which his old Nurse is thoroughly
absent. Meanwhile, the Earl’s old school chum, Sir Raymond “Beefy”
Bastable the barrister, has written a scandalous novel about the evil
ways of the younger generation. This work is entitled Cocktail Time,
and should word get out that Bastable wrote it he will never be a
Member of Parliament. Bastable wishes the novel to be suppressed;
Ickenham wishes to see Beefy happily married to his old flame,
editor Barbara Crowe. And then of course there’s Albert Peasemarch,
Beefy’s butler and Ickenham’s old army buddy, who wishes to marry
(Wodehouse alone knows why) Beefy’s not-very-bright sister. And then
there’s the con-artist Oily Carmichael, and his beloved wife and helpmeet
(very handy with a cosh, she is); they’ve figured out who really wrote
Cocktail Time, and figure there must be a pile of money in it for
them–especially after Hollywood gets hold of it.

Wodehouse’s Uncle Fred stories are always a treat; grab this one and
enjoy it.