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〃Marvellous luck；〃 murmured Chubby。 〃I wish I could have gone along with you … and seen … all the exhibits。〃
His tone was wistful and childlike。
Katherine said nothing。 The police had laid no injunctions of secrecy upon her； and it was clearly impossible to suppress the bare facts or try to keep them from her hostess。
But she did rather wish it had been possible to do so。
〃Yes；〃 said Lady Tamplin； ing suddenly out of her reverie； 〃I do think something might be done。 A little account； you know； cleverly written up。 An eyewitness； a feminine touch： 'How I chatted with the dead woman； little thinking …' that sort of thing； you know。〃
〃Rot！〃 said Lenox。
〃You have no idea；〃 said Lady Tamplin in a soft； wistful voice； 〃what newspapers will pay for a little tit…bit！ Written； of course； by someone of really unimpeachable social position。 You would not like to do it yourself； I dare say； Katherine dear； but just give me the bare bones of it； and I will manage the whole thing for you。 Mr de Haviland is a special friend of mine。 We have a little understanding together。 A most delightful man … not at all reporterish。 How does the idea strike you； Katherine？〃
〃I would much prefer to do nothing of the kind；〃 said Katherine bluntly。
Lady Tamplin was rather disconcerted at this unpromising refusal。 She sighed and turned to the elucidation of further details。
〃A very striking…looking woman； you said？ I wonder now who she could have been。 You didn't hear her name？〃
〃It was mentioned；〃 Katherine admitted； 〃but I can't remember it。 You see； I was rather upset。〃
〃I should think so；〃 said Mr Evans； 〃it must have been a beastly shock。〃
It is to be doubted whether； even if Katherine had remembered the name； she would have admitted the fact。 Lady Tamplin's remorseless cross…examination was making her restive。 Lenox； who was observant in her own way； noticed this； and offered to take Katherine upstairs to see her room。 She left her there； remarking kindly before she went； 〃You mustn't mind Mother； she would make a few pennies' profit out of her dying grandmother if she could。〃
Lenox went down again to find her mother and her stepfather discussing the newer。
〃Presentable；〃 said Lady Tamplin； 〃quite presentable。 Her clothes are all right。 That grey thing is the same model that Gladys Cooper wore in Palm Trees in Egypt …〃
〃Have you noticed her eyes … what？〃 interposed Mr Evans。
〃Never mind her eyes； Chubby；〃 said Lady Tamplin tartly； 〃we are discussing the things that really matter。〃
〃Oh； quite；〃 said Mr Evans； and retired into his shell。
〃She doesn't seem to me very … malleable；〃 said Lady Tamplin； rather hesitating to choose the right word。
〃She has all the instincts of a lady； as they say in books；〃 said Lenox； with a grin。
〃Narrow…minded；〃 murmured Lady Tamplin。 〃Inevitable under the circumstances； I suppose。〃
〃I expect you will do your best to broaden her；〃 said Lenox； with a grin； 〃but you will have your work cut out。 Just now； you noticed； she stuck down her forefeet and laid back her ears and refused to budge。〃
〃Anyway；〃 said Lady Tamplin hopefully； 〃she doesn't look to me at all mean。 Some people； when they e into money； seem to attach undue importance to it。〃
〃Oh； you'll easily touch her for what you want；〃 said Lenox； 〃and； after all； that is all that matters； isn't it？ That is what she is here for。〃
〃She is my own cousin；〃 said Lady Tamplin； with dignity。
〃Cousin； eh？〃 said Mr Evans； waking up again。 〃I suppose I call her Katherine； don't I？〃
〃It is of no importance at all what you call her； Chubby；〃 said Lady Tamplin。
〃Good；〃 said Mr Evans； 〃then I will。 Do you suppose she plays tennis？〃 he added hopefully。
〃Of course not；〃 said Lady Tamplin。 〃She has been a panion； I tell you。 panions don't play tennis … or golf。 They might possibly play golf…croquet； but I have always understood that they wind wool and wash dogs most of the day。〃
〃O God！〃 said Mr Evans； 〃do they really？〃
Lenox drifted upstairs again to Katherine's room。 〃Can I help you？〃 she asked rather perfunctorily。
On Katherine's disclaimer； Lenox sat on the edge of the bed and stared thoughtfully at her guest。
〃Why did you e？〃 she said at last。 〃To us； I mean。 We're not your sort。〃
〃Oh； I am anxious to get into Society。〃
〃Don't be an ass；〃 said Lenox promptly detecting the flicker of a smile。 〃You know what I mean well enough。 You are not a bit what I thought you would be。 I say； you have got some decent clothes。〃
She sighed。 〃Clothes are no good to me。 I was born awkward。 It's a pity； because I love them。〃
〃I love them too；〃 said Katherine； 〃but it has not been much use my loving them up to now。 Do you think this is nice？〃
She and Lenox discussed several models with artistic fervour。
〃I like you；〃 said Lenox suddenly。 〃I came up to warn you not to be taken in by Mother； but I think now that there is no need to do that。 You are frightfully sincere and upright and all those queer things； but you are not a fool。 Oh hell！ what is it now？〃
Lady Tamplin's voice was calling plaintively from the hall：
〃Lenox； Derek has just rung up。 He wants to e to dinner tonight。 Will it be all right？ I mean； we haven't got anything awkward； like quails； have we？〃
Lenox reassured her and came back into Katherine's room。 Her face looked brighter and less sullen。
〃I'm glad old Derek is ing；〃 she said； 〃you'll like him。〃
〃Who is Derek？〃
〃He is Lord Leconbury's son； married a rich American woman。 Women are simply potty about him。〃
〃Why？〃
〃Oh； the usual reason … very good…looking and a regular bad lot。 Everyone goes off their head about him。〃
〃Do you？〃
〃Sometimes I do；〃 said Lenox； 〃and sometimes I think I would like to marry a nice curate and live in the country and grow things in frames。〃 She paused a minute； and then added； 〃An Irish curate would be best； and then I should hunt。〃
After a minute or two she reverted to her former theme。 〃There is something queer about Derek。 All that family are a bit potty … mad gamblers； you know。 In the old days they used to gamble away their wives and their estates； and did most r