Duty is a story that presages the later much later stories, The Shame of Lady Oakdaene and The Geas of Lord Oakdaene. All three stories deal with Lord Oakdaene’s offworld criminal activities. The story begins with Marion along with her friends Hesthor Lundar and Calliope Braxietel meeting at the Conservatory, sharing harmless gossip about their families. Very soon, though, the topic of conversation turns to Lady Oakdaene’s troubles. It is common knowledge all over Gallifreyan society that Lord Oakdaene has been arrested offworld and could face a long prison sentence.

The story switches after that to the justice hall of Acazu XI. The husbands of the three women meeting for lunch, Kristoph de Lœngbærrow, Magister of the Southern Continent, Pól Braxietel, the Castellan, and Bolar Lundar, The Truthtaker are there representing Gallifrey at the trial of a Gallifreyan citizen – Oakdaene. They are clearly there out of duty, not any love for Lord Oakdaene, and they really wouldn’t mind if he actually got send down for a long spell, except that it would damage an Oldblood House.

This time, as it happened, Lord Oakdaene escaped punishment. His come-uppance is still to come. The important thing is that his card has been marked by Kristoph and by the Celestial Intervention Agency, and it is obviously not going to be the last time his activities offworld cause problems. Theta Sigma fans, of course, will know that it is a matter of history that Rõgæn Koschei Oakdaene senior died when his son, known as Epsilon, was still a child, and that he died violently, offworld, during one of his illegal transactions. But that’s still a long way in the future.

I think the later stories are better. They are more detailed, and Oakdaene's come uppance is more satisfactory. I considered dropping this one from the collection, but it would have left a gap.

http://www.pearsecom.co.uk/Marion/200/208shameofladyo.htm
http://www.pearsecom.co.uk/Marion/200/209geasoflordos.htm