Irene, who loved to chatter, found Lorna a ready listener, and, although the confidence was not reciprocated and in consequence the friendship seemed likely to be rather one-sided, it was a friendship all the same from the very start.

At the end of the week, moreover, something important happened to cement it.
For the first seven days of her residence at the Villa Camellia Irene had felt herself "goods on approval." Peachy Proctor and her chums had indeed given her a welcome, but afterwards they had held back a little as if testing her before offering further intimacy.

There seemed to be some secret bond amongst them, some alliance carefully hidden from the general public.

She caught nods, signs, mysterious words, and veiled allusions, all of which were instantly suppressed when her presence was noticed.

On the eighth day after arrival she found a note inside her desk.