Company for Henry
| Company type | Publishing company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Publishing |
| Headquarters | New York , United States |
| Products | Books |
Company For Henry is a novel authored by P. G. Wodehouse, initially released in the United States on 12 May 1967 by Simon & Schuster, Inc., New York, under the title The Purloined Paperweight. It subsequently appeared in the United Kingdom on 26 October 1967 through Barrie & Jenkins, London.
This narrative presents a charming blend of romance and mystery involving financially struggling aristocrats, former stage performers, and affluent American characters, all set against the backdrop of Ashby Hall, a country estate.
The protagonist, Jane Martyn's brother Algy, previously featured in Jill the Reckless (1920), while her fiancé Lionel Green and his associate Orlo Tarvin were introduced in Money in the Bank (1942). The butler Ferris appears to be the same figure from The Small Bachelor (1927).
Plot
Henry Paradene, once a musical comedy actor now retired, has come into possession of Ashby Hall near Ashby Paradene in Sussex. However, he finds it challenging to keep up with the estate’s upkeep. His niece, Jane Martyn, who works as a secretary at the UK branch of Newsweek, spends her summer there. Jane’s brother Algernon “Algy” Martyn, an unemployed schemer barred from Ashby Hall to avoid financial requests, resides with his friend Thomas “Bill” Hardy in Valley Fields. On her way to visit Algy, Jane asks Bill to rescue a cat stuck in a tree; this encounter sparks Bill’s affection for her. Jane also reconnects with her fiancé Lionel Green, an interior decorator and antique dealer, who arrives accompanied by his business partner Orlo Tarvin but displays little enthusiasm.
J. Wendell Stickney, a wealthy American based in New York, lives with his widowed aunt by marriage, Kelly Stickney, a former chorus girl. As a distant relative of Henry Paradene, Wendell values the family heritage. Henry hopes to sell Ashby Hall to Wendell and extends an invitation for them to visit. Meanwhile, Algy faces pressure from Clarence Binstead, an agent from Duff and Trotter—a brokerage firm appearing in Quick Service and Money in the Bank—to settle debts accrued through drinking. Bill visits Ashby Paradene hoping to see Jane again; she discovers that under the pseudonym Adela Bristow he authored the thriller Deadly Ernest, which both she and Henry enjoyed.
Wendell desires an eighteenth-century French paperweight housed at Ashby Hall but cannot legally purchase it due to entailment restrictions, although he may buy the property itself. Kelly proposes that Wendell acquire it from Bill and then simulate its theft. She takes possession of the paperweight intending to send it to New York; however, Wendell becomes apprehensive when he mistakes Bill for a detective investigating the entail trustees. Hesitant to mail it personally and fearing Henry might withdraw from selling the estate, Wendell retains the paperweight.
Henry reveals his intention to marry Kelly and discloses that selling Ashby Hall is necessary to finance this; Kelly consents despite this condition. Algy seeks financial assistance from Wendell to acquire land in Valley Fields for resale to developers. Bill is disheartened by Jane’s engagement, which dissolves once Jane learns Lionel is committed elsewhere.
When Jane notices the paperweight is missing, she suspects Wendell of theft; Algy offers to retrieve it but Henry later admits this was a deception. Algy also informs Jane about Bill’s feelings for her. Bill receives news that Deadly Ernest has achieved commercial success and contemplates relocating to New York. Wendell plans to secure the paperweight in a bank safe deposit box but loses confidence upon encountering Bill again.
Henry owes money to Duff and Trotter as well; Binstead returns to Ashby Hall. Since Binstead’s former fiancée works there, Algy suggests that Bill impersonate Binstead’s agent to remain close to Jane. Eventually, Wendell deposits the paperweight safely and still suspicious of Bill as a detective, pays him off through Algy. Using this money, Algy invests in Valley Fields real estate. Wendell intends to purchase Ashby Hall; meanwhile, Bill and Jane become engaged with plans for life in America.
Publication history
An abridged edition was released in two installments within the Canadian publication Star Weekly, a weekend supplement of the Toronto Star, under the title The Purloined Paperweight. The initial segment appeared on 29 April 1967, followed by the second on 6 May 1967.
For the United States edition, Wodehouse dedicated the book to "Peter Schwed, best of publishers". Peter Schwed was affiliated with the American publishing house Simon & Schuster.
External links
- The Russian Wodehouse Society's page, featuring a character list