Milly's door was half open, but she knocked at it and said to the char-woman: "Is Mrs.Phillips in ?" "Yes, mum, the company's all upstairs." "Oh, then I will go up and return her this myself." Malka went straight through the little crowd of guests to Milly, who was sitting on a sofa with Ezekiel, quiet as a lamb and as good as gold, in her arms.
"Milly, my dear," she said.

"I have come to bring you back your clothes-brush.

Thank you so much for the loan of it." "You know you're welcome, mother," said Milly, with unintentionally dual significance.

The two ladies embraced.

Ephraim Phillips, a sallow-looking, close-cropped Pole, also kissed his mother-in-law, and the gold chain that rested on Malka's bosom heaved with the expansion of domestic pride.