Hannibal Didcot is bullying Clarence over a fake painting, so Connie encourages Hannibal to propose to wealthy American, Vanessa Polk. Galahad and Freddie have other ideas.
An American heiress Vanessa Polk comes to Blandings to paint Clarence with the Empress whilst choleric Lord Didcot arrives to demand he return the fifty pounds he paid for a supposed Old Master he believes is a fake. Galahad spots that Vanessa is the fake, a penniless fortune-hunter but they both see that Didcot's painting is genuine and priceless. However he believes they are discussing a picture of a horse Freddie is trying to sell and pays him for it. Galahad also manoeuvres him into paying off Vanessa for breach of contract after he proposes and then withdraws the offer on discovering her financial situation.—don @ minifie-1