¬ÝGrey‚Äôs great gratification and Mrs. ¬ÝVanderpool‚Äôs mingled amusement and annoyance. Mrs. ¬ÝGrey announced the arrival of the Easterlys and John Taylor for the weekend. As Mrs. ¬ÝVanderpool could think of nothing less boring, she consented to dine.
The atmosphere of Mrs. ¬ÝGrey‚Äôs ornate cottage was different from that of the Vanderpools. The display of wealth and splendor had a touch of the barbaric. Mary Taylor liked it, although she found the Vanderpool atmosphere more subtly satisfying. There was a certain grim power beneath the Greys‚Äô mahogany and velvets that thrilled while it appalled. Precisely that side of the thing appealed to her brother. He would have seen little or nothing in the plain elegance yonder, while here he saw a Japanese vase that cost no cent less than a thousand dollars. He meant to be able to duplicate it some day. He knew that Grey was poor and less knowing than he sixty years ago.