Bertha said nothing, kept her thumb and forefinger pulling at her ear.
“You can see the position in which that leaves me,” the woman went on. “Mrs. Goldring would inherit Mrs. Belder’s money. She would use that to hold Carlotta.”
“You mean Carlotta’s affections are something that can be bought?” Bertha asked sceptically.
“Don’t be silly, Mrs. Cool. Carlotta isn’t like that; and on the other hand, she isn’t a fool. Let’s look at the situation this way. I am her mother. There are certain black marks — very definite black marks in my record. Those constitute reasons why she is very apt to repudiate any claim I might have to her affections because of the natural relationship. I think you understand my position there, don’t you?”
Bertha nodded.
“Very well. Mrs. Goldring has spent all the money she has received. She has made no provision whatever for carrying on unless she can marry some wealthy man. Carlotta is just at the age when she is beginning to realize how important it is to attract the right sort of man as a husband. In order to do that, a woman must circulate in the environment in which the right sort of men are to be found. Mrs. Goldring is due to have a complete financial smash-up within thirty days. She’ll be stripped clean. She won’t have a penny.”
“The sudden realization of that disaster is going to be a great emotional shock to Carlotta. The necessity of changing her entire mode of life, of going from comparative affluence to complete, utter poverty is going to give Carlotta a terrific jolt. Carlotta knows nothing of the value of money.”
“You feel certain Mrs. Goldring’s financial position is as bad as that?”
“I know it. I have made it my business to know it, Mrs. Cool. Mrs. Goldring made this trip from San Francisco to see Mabel Belder and to see if it wasn’t possible to get her daughter to make a final split with Everett Belder, and have mother, daughter, and Carlotta all live together — Mabel Belder, of course, footing the bills.”
“Wouldn’t Carlotta go to work?”