"Irene! The little sneak! I'm awfully sorry, Monica!" apologized Vivien.
Lorraine's face cleared like sunlight bursting through a cloud. Her relief at the turn events had taken was intense.
"Shall I bring up the wretched kid?" asked Claudia.
"Oh, do please forgive her!" pleaded Monica. "She's such a scared rabbit! She never knows what she's saying!"
"Well, I call that sporting of you!" said Vivien, smacking Monica heartily on the back. "I vote we just say no more about the whole business. Let Irene scoot off and mop her eyes at home. She's been punished enough, I dare say."
"Right you are!" agreed the others readily.
"I'll tell her she may go, then," said Claudia. "Lorraine, for goodness' sake take a penknife and scratch out that score you made through Monica's name in the Guilds Register. I told you to wait, but you were in such a precious hurry to execute vengeance."
"I'll be only too glad to restore the honour of the family," smiled Lorraine.