Daphne sniffed. “He thinks so, too. I expect they all think they’re jolly clever. But those two”—she indicated Eileen and Jane—“can’t find their places in their Prayer Books without being shown. I don’t call that very clever.”
“How funny,” said Molly.
Acrimony was added to Daphne’s view of Eileen by Claude Bellairs, who looked at her as if he admired her. Claude as a rule looked at Daphne herself like that; Daphne didn’t want him to, thinking it silly, but it was rather much to have his admiration transferred to this Mrs. Le Moine. Certainly anyone might have admired Eileen; Daphne grudgingly admitted that, as she watched her. Eileen’s manner of accepting attentions was as lazy and casual as Daphne’s own, and considerably less provocative; she couldn’t be said to encourage them. Only there was a charm about her, a drawing-power....
“I don’t think it’s nice, a married person letting men hang round her,” said Daphne, who was rather vulgar.
Molly, who was refined, coloured all over her round, sensitive face.
“Daffy! How can you? Of course it’s all right.”
“Well, Claude would be flirting in no time if she let him.”
“But of course she wouldn’t. How could she?” Molly was dreadfully shocked.
Daphne gave her cynical, one-sided smile. “Easily, I should think. Only probably she doesn’t think him worth while.”
“Daffy, I think it’s horrible to talk like that. I do wish you wouldn’t.”