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gave him. You may read that in the book, but you can assure your sister we don’t plan to allege any affair with so unattractive a person. We mean to retain some shred of dignity, you see.”
    “You have had time to discover my relationship with Sir Lawrence already? You run an efficient operation. I hope you have taken the precaution of hiring yourself a sharp solicitor. You’ll be hearing from Sir Lawrence’s. I would advise you not to print anything of the sort you mentioned if you don’t wish to be charged with a libel suit.”
    “Something must be untrue to be libelous, if I am not mistaken, and the world can see for itself that Sir Lawrence has loose lips,” she flung back.
    “I suggest you consult your attorney on the subject of detraction.”
    “We don’t have an attorney.”
    “High time you hired one. Good day, Ma’am.” He strode angrily from the room and went straight back to Bess to open his budget.
    “They aren’t after money,” he said. “They’re getting that, apparently, from people who actually owe the old girl something. What they want from you and others of our sort is the entree to Society.”
    “Oh, Dickie, you’ve made a botch of it!” Bess moaned. “I cannot ask that woman here. I’d be the laughing stock of the world. Everyone is talking about her.”
    “I don’t propose you should ask her. I haven’t taken leave of my senses."
    “What will they do if I don’t?”
    “Put Larry into the book, describing in detail, no doubt, how he used to make a puppy of himself dangling after the Pealing. All that old business of his ditching the Marmon girl will be raked up as a result. Yes, and they mean to add a few paragraphs on the condition of his lips, too, I believe.”
    “Oh, my God! Pay them. Give them whatever sum it takes. This will ruin his chances for advancement. Go back and take them the whole thousand.”
    “I have done better. I am going to have my solicitor see them. Scare them off with the threat of a libel suit.”
    “What’s that?”
    “It happens to be against the law to defame anyone’s character. Malicious misrepresentations...“
    “Yes, Dickie, but it isn’t misrepresentation. He did dangle after her.”
    “Well, detraction then, if it’s a criminal offence. There must be some legal trick Willoughby can use. I don’t see why you should give them any money, and I certainly do not advise you to invite them to your home.”
    “Never in the world. That is definitely not to be considered.”
    “I’ll send Willoughby around to put a scare into them. They don’t have a lawyer. They are just amateurs.”
    “No, don’t do that. It will show them we take it too seriously, and will antagonize them too. Offer them money. Enough to keep the woman still.”
    ‘‘Not one red penny."
    “A thousand pounds. I can spare it, and the promotion is worth a good deal more than that. Larry has waited twenty years for it.”
    “It wouldn’t satisfy her.”
    “It galls me to have to pay that woman, but... How does she look nowadays, by the way?”
    “Who, Mrs. Pealing? I didn’t see her. I dealt with the niece.”
    “Oh. Pamela said she is fat as a flawn and had her hair dyed blue. How vulgar. What is the niece like?”
    “As bold as brass."
    “Yes, but what does she look like? They say Effie used to look like her years ago. Is she very pretty?”
    “More beautiful than pretty,” he confessed reluctantly.
    “Pamela didn’t say she was beautiful. Dark hair, I think?”
    “Yes, black as coal. A tall girl.”
    Bess knew her brother to prefer tall girls, being so tall himself. Anything under five feet five inches he described as squat. “What about the face? Come now, draw me a picture of her.”
    “I didn’t pay much attention,” he said, but still a vivid image of her lurked inside his head. Grey eyes, long lashes, a strong chin, clear complexion.
    “Well, when you go back to give them the money, take a good look.”
    “I’m not going back.”
    “You