"But who is she?"
"That's just it. Your mother says she can't discover who she is. She doesn't seem to have a single relative, or any sort of a background. Her name," said Mrs. Kane, consulting Lady Harte's letter, "is Beulah Birtley. Your mother says that she hopes she isn't a snob - yes, all right, there's no need to make that noise! It isn't being snobbish to want to know what sort of people your son's wife springs from! ,.Anyway, she says she wouldn't mind if only she knew something about the girl, or even liked her."
"Has Mother actually met her?"
"Yes, at Timothy's chambers. She says she can't imagine what Timothy sees in her, because she isn't in the least his type, hasn't any manners, and is obviously yip to no good. In fact, she says Adventuress is written all over her."
"Good lord!" said Mr. Kane. "But, look here, this is cockeyed! Not a month ago Mother was having the shudders over the blonde beauty, and telling us what hell Timothy would have with Mrs. Haddington, or whatever her name was, for a mother-in-law. When did he pick up this new number?"
"At the Haddingtons'. She's Mrs. Haddington's secretary. Your mother says that she found her definitely hostile, and she's convinced that there's something thoroughly shady about her. She says she hasn't said a word about it to Sir Adrian, because the girl is just the type he would dislike, and she won't have him worried. Apparently the engagement isn't official yet. Here, you can read her letter for yourself!"
Mr. Kane laid aside The Times, and read through five close-written pages with what his wife considered maddening deliberation. He then folded the letter and handed it back to her.
"Well?" she said impatiently.
"I can't say it sounds good," he replied. "However, you've only got Mother's word for all this, and if you've seen the damsel she thinks worthy of Timothy I can only say I haven't."
"No, but don't you think it's odd for a girl meeting her future mother-in-law not even to mention her own parents?"