ing Hedgewood to rack and ruin. Jackie's people were anxious to have us get in with the old crowd and we did attend two or three of their parties. But they were insufferable and I put my foot down.
"Mrs. Willis Peabody, wife of the president of the Traders' Trust, and Mrs. John Hurd, whose husband is the big soap man, are the social leaders at present, so I'm told. They are respectable as Methodist bishops—no end of money and no way to spend it. You've seen their homes—a mile or so back in the country on the Huntington road." Lucy took a deep inhale of her cigarette and flicked the butt into the rim of flowers just below the level of Carmelita's piazza. "Why do you ask, my dear? Thinking of forcing into the gates of respectability?"
Carmelita smiled a disclaimer. Despite the derogatory way in which her friend spoke of the Peabodys and Hurds, there was still a little note of envy and respect in her voice. Lucy Hodge was not unaware of the value of social prominence and well-established family connections.
Carmelita recalled this conversation with Lucy with interest one afternoon about a week later when, following her daily swim with Rao-Singh, she was spending the time until dinner writing a cheerful letter to Dudley. She
