But then she was no expert on the law, so maybe she didn't understand the situation. Barrington Hills was a small community with very wealthy families, and there was no dearth of money around to support lawsuits if people became indignant over one thing or another. With people this wealthy it paid to be careful.

Still, nothing seemed to explain adequately Marge's continual nervousness, anxiety and possessiveness with respect to that dog.

Not that she hadn't been angry when she first learned of Carla's pups – and it seemed to Jan unreasonably so. Those pups had really altered her personality.

Those pups. Several women in the neighborhood had tried to buy them, but the Boardmans were interested in selling only to their friends, and the price for such pedigreed German shepherds was high. The Boardmans didn't know many people in Barrington Hills; so far as Jan knew, she and Steve were the only persons they had offered one.

But what did she need a dog about the house for? Just one more worry and someone to clean up after. And she would have to go through a breaking-in period with it and so on. It scarcely seemed worth the trouble.

And so it went – on most mornings, a sample of her daydreaming thoughts, idle and useless.

But this morning she was altogether too furious and uncomfortable to give any thought to Rex at all.

And it was all Steve's fault, that rat. She was too refined to use any term more rough than that. Last night had been absolutely the last straw. She didn't see how she could put up with the situation any longer. Maybe she would be able to discuss it with her parents when they arrived – Sarah and Arnold Talbott were scheduled to arrive for two weeks vacation this afternoon – she had always been able to discuss things with her mother, although of course she was suitably more reticent with her attractive, distinguished father, who, after all, was a man.