Tired of her humdrum existence as a young mother and sardine packer, Alice had begun to crave intellectual stimulation and was determined to find some. After all, she was living in an artistic and progressive community. There was bound to be likeminded company around. She knew of two other English women of a similar background who lived a few streets away. She had seen them in the shops and they aroused her curiosity. When she heard they were hosting a lecture in their drawing room, she secured an invitation through a mutual friend.
She wasn"t impressed by the lecturer, who bored his audience rigid with a convoluted and dry explanation of evolution from a Theosophical perspective. As he droned on in monotone, her gaze wandered, lingering here and there on soft furnishings, exotic fabrics,
