That night, they sat in Maud’s flat and Maud translated Dr Le Minier’s letter for Leonora, who said, “I got the general gist of it OK but my French is primitive. What it is to have an English education.” Maud had unthinkingly sat down in her usual place in the corner of her white sofa under the tall lamp, and Leonora had plumped down next to her, one arm along the sofa behind Maud’s back, one buttock bumping Maud’s when she bounced. Maud felt threatened and tense, and almost got up, once or twice, but was restrained by an exigent and unhelpful English sense of good manners. She was aware that
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