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black dress. Immediately she felt that her own dress was too bright a green, too thick, and much, much too countryfied. She had a perfectly clear conviction that no matter what she wore, Tanis would always make her feel like that, and that if she lay down under it now she would never get up again. “After all, I do live in the country,” she told herself, and felt better.
    Cousin Sophy was speaking.
    “Well, my dear, we dine at half past seven, because I have to go to bed early. Mary may not like to ring the dressing-bell. I am afraid it sounds very inhospitable, but Beecher will be waiting to dress me, and it does not do for me to be hurried. It upsets her dreadfully.”
    Tanis stood there, smiling down at her. She looked younger, less sophisticated. The smile was a charming one.
    “But, Cousin Sophy, of course I wouldn’t dream of keeping you. Perhaps I could go up and talk to Laura while she dresses. I am full of messages from Aunt Agnes, and this seems to be the only time. I had to go to the Theobalds’ cocktail party, and I’m dining out.”
    When Beecher had been rung for and Laura and Tanis were on the stairs together, Tanis laughed softly and said,
    “Does she really dress for dinner?”
    Laura nodded.
    “Oh, yes. She puts on what she calls a tea-gown, and a white China crepe shawl instead of the grey one, and Beecher does her hair with little curls at the side. It’s the curls that take the time. They’re sweet.”
    They came into the bedroom. If Laura had ever disliked anything in her life, it was the prospect of having to dress with Tanis watching her. But she wasn’t giving in to it. Tanis was an underminer, but people can’t undermine you if you don’t let yourself be undermined.
    Tanis sat down on the bed, pulling the pillows round to make herself a back.
    “Well, Aunt Agnes said she’s been ringing Cousin Sophy up, so I expect you know she wants you to go down and stay at the Priory.”
    Laura was hanging up her coat. Without turning round she said,
    “Yes.”
    “She’s been trying to get me all the afternoon, but of course I was out. I had to ring her up as soon as I got in. She’s set her heart on your coming.”
    Laura unhung the dress she was going to wear—her old black velvet. She knew exactly what it was going to look like to Tanis, and she told herself she didn’t care. She hung it over the rail of the bed and took off her hat.
    Tanis was looking at her with an effect of eager charm.
    “I do hope you’re going to come.”
    “It’s very kind of Cousin Agnes.”
    “Oh, no, it isn’t. It’s what she ought to have done years and years and years ago. What’s the good of quarrelling? And then to keep it up all this time—as if anything in the world was worth a fuss like that! Too archaic! Of course I’m very fond of the aunts—by the way, they’re only cousins really, but I’ve always called them Aunt. They like it, God knows why. It’s about the most hideous word in the English language, but it pleases them, and I’m all for pleasing people when I can.”
    She produced a platinum cigarette-case with a diamond initial, offered it to Laura, who said, “Not whilst I’m dressing,” and then lighted a cigarette herself. A little curl of smoke went up between them.
    Laura went over to the wash-stand.
    “One gets filthy in London. Don’t you want to have a bath?”
    Laura would have liked to say, “Yes, I do,” but to strip, to be naked and defenceless before an enemy—that touched something very old, very primitive. She said,
    “There won’t be time if you want to talk. I can’t keep Cousin Sophy waiting. I can have one when I come to bed.”
    The water splashed in the old-fashioned flowered basin. Tanis waited until she came back to the dressing-table. Sitting there, Laura could see the reflection of the bed, her own black dress thrown down across the foot, and Tanis against the fat white pillows at the head. The smoke went up between them. The cigarette described a