Elizabeth's sense of humour showed her the kind of lurid drama that Pamela no doubt was concocting about her--perhaps with the help of Beryl--the two little innocents! Elizabeth recalled the intriguing French 'companion' in _War and Peace_ who inveigles the old Squire.

And as for the mean and mercenary stepmothers of fiction, they can be collected by the score.

That, no doubt, was how Pamela thought of her.

So that, after her involuntary tears, Elizabeth ended in a laughter that was half angry, half affectionate.
Poor children! She was not going to turn them out of their home.

She had written to Pamela during her absence with her mother, asking again for an explanation of the wild and whirling things that Pamela had said to her that night in the hall, and in return not a single frank or penitent word!--only a few perfunctory enquiries after Mrs.
Bremerton, and half a page about an air-raid.