“One meets them in London often enough—oh yes, in Society. The nervous tension and irritability are common signs. The thinness as well, in Lady Anna’s case. I am pleased to know I shall never be suspected,” she added, with a saucy look. “I should guess both Lady Anna and Mr. Haworth are habitual users of cocaine or some such, and if he is deprived of his supply here, or finding it hard to indulge freely, that will no doubt contribute to his dreadful ill temper.”

“Well,” Pat said, impressed. “Goodness. Lady Anna, really?”

“She’s in with an awfully fast set. But, you know, none of that has changed from how it was when Jimmy proposed to me. I can’t see what difference it makes.”

“Having Haworth under his eyes, I suppose. Or maybe something did change that we don’t know about. Or perhaps he’s just an idiot. What are you going to do?”

“I really don’t know,” Fen said. “I thought that this would be a sensible choice. I didn’t expect him to be terribly romantic, although he did propose awfully nicely, but I thought he would be solid. Do you know what I mean? I’m so tired of faces.”

“Of what?”

“Faces. One meets someone, a man, and he has his society face for a stranger, and then a face for women, and another for his family, and one with his friends which is different from all the rest. That was why I ended my first engagement, you know. I heard him speaking of me to his friends. But I thought Jimmy was straightforward.”

“I think that’s a great deal to ask of anyone,” Pat said. “Saying what one means and not doing the pretty leads to one being considered eccentric, or mannerless, and that’s not awfully enjoyable. It’s a great deal easier for everyone if we behave as expected in the circumstances.”

“You don’t.”

That didn’t come as a surprise, but it was still a blow. “I do try to. I wish I could do it more easily.”

“I didn’t mean it as a criticism,” Fen said swiftly. “The opposite. I think it’s marvellous. You say what you mean.”

“Yes, and people think I’m dreadfully odd for it. But if one has four older brothers, the choice is to be uncompromising or a hopeless doormat. I chose to be uncompromising, and when one has acquired the habit of that, it’s hard to stop. It feels like giving in, and I don’t have any great urge to pander to others.”