"Shockingly dissipated, isn't she?"
"Well—rather more dissipated than we are in Drayton Parva. You must miss her dreadfully, Mrs. Wilcox?"
"I don't mind that so long as she's happy. You see, it's not as if she hadn't friends. I know she's well looked after."
Mrs. Wilcox felt that she was making a remarkably good case of it. And she had not once mentioned Sir Peter.
All was well so long as you did not mention Sir Peter.
"I'm very glad to hear it."
"Of course I want her to get away out of it all. I know that people are making very strange remarks about her staying—"
"They might make stranger remarks if she came, that's one consolation. Still—"
"Well, Miss Batchelor, the child is perfectly willing to come if I want her. But—er—er—a friend"—(Mrs. Wilcox was determined to be discreet, and leave no loophole for scandal)—"a friend has strongly advised her to stay."
"Oh, no doubt she is perfectly right. Sir Peter is in town again, I believe?"