Haven't you noticed how good your aunts
are?"
"They're always the same," said Maggie.
"Well. I expect they're different really. Then there's the middle-
class like Mr. Thurston and Miss Avies who pretend to believe all
that Mr. Warlock says, but of course, they don't believe a word of
it, and they hope that this will prove his ruin. They know there
won't be any Second Coming on New Year's Eve, and then they think he
will be finished and they'll be able to get rid of him. So they're
encouraging him to believe in all this, and then when the moment
comes they'll turn on him!"
"Beasts!" said Maggie suddenly.
"Well, I daresay you're right," said Caroline. "Only it does make me
laugh, all of it. Thurston and Miss Avies have all their plans made,
only now they're quarrelling because Thurston wants to marry Amy
Warlock and Miss Avies meant him to marry her!"
"Is Mr. Thurston going to marry Miss Warlock?" cried Maggie.
"So they say," said Caroline again watching Maggie curiously. "Well,
anyway, Miss Avies is the strongest of the lot really. I'd back her
against anybody. I'm terrified of her myself, I tell you frankly.
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