Mrs.Peniston had chosen the wrong moment to boast of her niece's charms.
"Unless," said Grace, leaning forward to speak with low-toned emphasis, "unless there are material advantages to be gained by making herself agreeable to him." She felt that the moment was tremendous, and remembered suddenly that Mrs.Peniston's black brocade, with the cut jet fringe, would have been hers at the end of the season.
Mrs.Peniston put down her work again.

Another aspect of the same idea had presented itself to her, and she felt that it was beneath her dignity to have her nerves racked by a dependent relative who wore her old clothes.
"If you take pleasure in annoying me by mysterious insinuations," she said coldly, "you might at least have chosen a more suitable time than just as I am recovering from the strain of giving a large dinner." The mention of the dinner dispelled Miss Stepney's last scruples.

"I don't know why I should be accused of taking pleasure in telling you about Lily.

I was sure I shouldn't get any thanks for it," she returned with a flare of temper.

"But I have some family feeling left, and as you are the only person who has any authority over Lily, I thought you ought to know what is being said of her." "Well," said Mrs.Peniston, "what I complain of is that you haven't told me yet what IS being said." "I didn't suppose I should have to put it so plainly.