Ursula knew, among these men, only Rupert Birkin, who was one of the school-inspectors of the county.

But Gudrun had met others, in London.

Moving with her artist friends in different kinds of society, Gudrun had already come to know a good many people of repute and standing.

She had met Hermione twice, but they did not take to each other.

It would be queer to meet again down here in the Midlands, where their social standing was so diverse, after they had known each other on terms of equality in the houses of sundry acquaintances in town.