Making it Pay

Violet Lovejoy, forced from the stage through illness, becomes the new proprietress of 'The Violet Tea Rooms', which open on to the main road between London and Guildford. She finds great difficulty in getting things started but one afternoon learns that the Duchess of Denshire intends coming in for tea. She sees the advantages that such patronage would give the establishment, but unfortunately she has asked Mrs Chipp, a theatrical landlady, on the same afternoon. Mrs Chipp arrives. A few minutes later Mrs Burton, a very wealthy woman and her daughter Jane put in an appearance, and they are followed by Lelli Fane, a langourous musical comedy star. Mrs Chipp, in a wild endeavour to make herself pleasant, takes the stage and commences to tell fortunes from tea-cups. At the entrance of the Duchess things are in full swing and the latter being rather curious, joins in the merriment. In spite of friction between her and the actress, brought about by Mrs Chipp, the afternoon is a great success and promises well for the future of the establishment.