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Bob and Spot, the butcher’s dog, circled slowly round each other, hackles raised, growling gently. Spot was a stout dog of nondescript breed. He knew that he must not fight with customers’ dogs, but he permitted himself to tell them, by subtle indication, just exactly what mincemeat he would make of them were he free to do so.

Bob, a dog of spirit, replied in kind.

Emily Arundell said ‘Bob!’ sharply and passed on.

In the greengrocer’s there was a meeting of heavenly bodies. Another old lady, spherical in outline, but equally distinguished by that air of royalty, said:

‘Mornin’, Emily.’

‘Good morning, Caroline.’

Caroline Peabody said:

‘Expecting any of your young people down?’

‘Yes, all of them. Theresa, Charles and Bella.’

‘So Bella’s home, is she? Husband too?’

‘Yes.’

It was a simple monosyllable, but underlying it was knowledge common to both ladies.

For Bella Biggs, Emily Arundell’s niece, had married a Greek. And Emily Arundell’s people, who were what is known as ‘all service people’, simply did not marry Greeks.

By way of being obscurely comforting (for of course such a matter could not be referred to openly) Miss Peabody said:

Bella’s husband’s got brains. And charming manners!’

‘His manners are delightful,’ agreed Miss Arundell. Moving out into the street Miss Peabody asked:

‘What’s this about Theresa being engaged to young Donaldson?’

Miss Arundell shrugged her shoulders.

‘Young people are so casual nowadays. I’m afraid it will have to be a rather long engagement—that is, if anything comes of it. He has no money.’

Of course Theresa has her own money,’ said Miss Peabody.

Miss Arundell said stiffly:

‘A man could not possibly wish to live on his wife’s money.’

Miss Peabody gave a rich, throaty chuckle.

‘They don’t seem to mind doing it, nowadays. You and I are out of date, Emily. What I can’t understand is what the child sees in him. Of all the namby-pamby young men!’

‘He’s a clever doctor, I believe.’

‘Those pince-nez—and that stiff way of talking! In my young days we’d have called him a poor stick!’

There was a pause while Miss Peabody’s memory, diving into the past, conjured up visions of dashing, bewhiskered young men…

She said with a sigh:

‘Send that young dog Charles along to see me—if he’ll come.’

‘Of course. I’ll tell him.’

The two ladies parted.

They had known each other for considerably over fifty years. Miss Peabody knew of certain regrettable lapses in the life of General Arundell, Emily’s father. She knew just precisely what a shock Thomas Arundell’s marriage had been to his sisters. She had a very shrewd idea of certain troubles connected with the younger generation.

But no word had ever passed between the two ladies on any of these subjects. They were both upholders of family dignity, family solidarity, and complete reticence on family matters.

Miss Arundell walked home, Bob trotting sedately at her heels. To herself, Emily Arundell admitted what she would never have admitted to another human being, her dissatisfaction with the younger generation of her family.