particularly outrageous. And she really enjoyed herself. You see, she's
in the position of poor relation in a rather pugnacious family, and her
life has been largely spent in smoothing over other people's quarrels.
You can imagine the welcome relief of being able to go about saying and
doing perfectly exasperating things to a whole houseful of women--and all
in the cause of peace."

"I think you are the most odious person in the whole world," said
Reggie's sister-in-law. Which was not strictly true; more than anybody,
more than ever she disliked Mrs. Pentherby. It was impossible to
calculate how many quarrels that woman had done her out of.




MARK


Augustus Mellowkent was a novelist with a future; that is to say, a
limited but increasing number of people read his books, and there seemed
good reason to suppose that if he steadily continued to turn out novels
year by year a progressively increasing circle of readers would acquire
the Mellowkent habit, and demand his works from the libraries and
bookstalls. At the instigation of his publisher he had discarded the
baptismal Augustus and taken the front name of Mark.

"Women like a name that suggests some one strong and silent, able but
unwilling to answer questions. Augustus merely suggests idle splendour,
but such a name as Mark Mellowkent, besides being alliterative, conjures
up a vision of some one strong and beautiful and good, a sort of blend of