"Same here," said Brindlebury.
"I certainly shan't open the door for the man," said Crane, "and Claudia shall go only over my dead body."
Again the bell rang.
Lily rose. "I shall let him in," she said, "I think you are all very unjust to Randolph."
Claudia smiled as her sister left the room.
"There," she said, "that's all right. No one has such a good effect on Randolph as Lily has. In fifteen minutes he will be perfectly calm and polite. In half an hour she will have persuaded him he likes things better the way they are."
"I should think," said Lefferts, glancing at Claudia, "that it might take her a little longer than that."
It did take her a little longer.