The Key Quotes

“mouth rendered decorative by a shade of lipstick which was new to Ione. For the rest, a plain dark skirt and jumper. As the talk about the tea-table went on, Ione began to adjust herself. There was no fault to be found in Jacqueline Delauny’s manner. She was pleasant, with just the right amount to say for herself, and she really appeared to exercise a tactful influence upon Margot Trent. If it had not been for Allegra, sitting there like her own ghost with no more to say than an occasional yes or no to a question too direct to be ignored, Ione would have found it all agreeable enough. As it was, she possessed her soul in patience against the moment when they would be alone. Allegra could hardly avoid taking her to her room or going up with her when she went to bed. She did not realise until afterwards that she had used the word avoid — not in fact until she was herself alone in her bedroom after the last good-night had been said.”
― Patricia Wentworth, Ladies' Bane