From hat to heels she was the embodiment of luxurious, "ladylike" idleness, the kind that not only is idle itself, but also, being beautiful, attractive, and compelling, is the cause of idleness in others.

She breathed upon Arthur the delicious perfume of the elegant life from which he was being thrust by the coarse hand of his father--and Arthur felt as if he were already in sweaty overalls.
"Well ?" she asked.
"He's going to make a common workman of me," said Arthur, sullen, mentally contrasting his lot with hers.

"And he's got me on the hip.

I don't dare treat him as he deserves.

If I did, he's got just devil enough in him to cheat me out of my share of the property.