Edith cast an involuntary look of surprise at the Englishwoman.

"I have known everything from the first.

Mrs.Medcroft and I are closer friends than you may have thought." She gave Edith a meaning look, and a moment later was whispering to her in a private corner of the private office: "My dear, I don't know what it means, but you must tell me everything as soon as possible.

I am your friend.

Whatever it all is, it's ripping!" There was a great deal of pow-wowing and chatter, charges and refutations, excuses and explanations.