"How about this young man? Laurence Brown."

"Laurence is a complete rabbit. He wouldn't have the guts." 

"I wonder."

"Yes, we don't really know, do we? I mean, people are capable of surprising one frightfully. One gets an idea of them into one's head, and sometimes it's absolutely wrong. Not always - but sometimes. But all the same, Brenda -" she shook her head - "she's always acted so completely in character. She's what I call the harem type. Likes sitting about and eating sweets and having nice clothes and jewellery and reading cheap novels and going to the cinema. And it's a queer thing to say, when one remembers that he was eighty five, but I really think she was rather thrilled by grandfather. He had a power, you know. I should imagine he could make a woman feel - oh - rather like a queen - the Sultan's favourite! I think - I've always thought - that he made Brenda feel as though she were an exciting romantic person. He's been clever with women all his life - and that kind of thing is a sort of art - you don't lose the knack of it, however old you are." p I left the problem of Brenda for the (homent and harked back to a phrase of Sophia's which had disturbed me.

"Why did you say," I asked, "that you were afraid?" a Sophia shivered a little and pressed her hands together.

I? "Because it's true," she said in a low voice. "It's very important, Charles, that I should make you understand this. You see, we're a very queer family… There's a lot of ruthlessness in us - and - different kinds of ruthlessness. That's what's so disturbing. The different kinds."

She must have seen incomprehension in my face. She went on, speaking energetically.

"I'll try and make what I mean clear.