"Marie Léonie was of opinion that Valentine would lose Christopher if she did not deluge herself with..."

Marie Léonie was of opinion that Valentine would lose Christopher if she did not deluge herself with a perfume called Houbigant and wear pink silk next to the skin. Elle ne demandait pas mieux — but she could not borrow twenty pounds from Marie Léonie. Nor yet forty….Because although Christopher might never notice the condition of her all-wools he jolly well would be struck by the ocean of Houbigant and the surf of pink….She would give the world for them….But he would notice — and then she might lose his love, because she had borrowed the forty pounds. On the other hand she might lose it because of the all-wools. And heaven knew what condition the other pair would be in when they came back from Mrs Cramp’s newest laundry attentions….You could never teach Mrs. Cramp that wool must not be put into boiling water!

Oh God, she ought to lie between lavender linen sheets with little Chrissie on soft, pink silk, air-cushionish bosoms!