a bird of paradise. God knows what she’s got to do with Beldover. It goes by contraries, like dreams.’

Gerald pondered for a few moments.

‘How do you know her so well?’ he asked.

‘I knew her in London,’ he replied, ‘in the Algernon Strange set. She’ll know about Pussum and Libidnikov and the rest — even if she doesn’t know them personally. She was never quite that set — more conventional, in a way. I’ve known her for two years, I suppose.’

‘And she makes money, apart from her teaching?’ asked Gerald.

‘Some — irregularly. She can sell her models. She has a certain reclame.’