Cognac was served, this time by Parkhurst; the men removed their jackets and settled down to light cigars. Philippa was relieved to see that Lady Maude nonchalantly produced a gold cigarette case, and now she went to her own purse to follow suite. Smoking in public was the badge of modern, liberated women, and Philippa was fully prepared to proclaim herself as among their ranks — once she was assured her hostess would not frown upon the act. She sighed to see the casual elegance with which the lady of the house held up a long, slender cigarette holder. Meanwhile, Max was showing his usual boisterous vitality, cracking jokes, laughing loudly, and making humorously brazen advances to the blushing bride.
Soon the conversation turned to the afternoon’s events, and Nigel made some dutifully ap
