s, but optimistic

MOLLY.

XIV

PETER STORM TO JAMES STRICKLAND

_The Day before the Battle._

Many thanks for your letter, my dear fellow. It's less pessimistic than
I expected, and gives me the impression that I may regard you as a Prop.
I shall follow your advice rigidly, though I must juggle some of the
details, as Caspian has taken advantage of the poor little girl's love
for her father, and practically (from what I understand) blackmailed her
into promising to marry him. Mrs. Winston is in her confidence, though
both she and I think there are unexplored depths. Patricia confesses
that, rather than Larry should give her Mrs. Shuster for a step-mamma,
she took the line of least resistance to obtain money. But I have a
horrible instinctive idea that the trouble began at Piping Rock, and
that she really sacrificed herself to shield me. This makes me feel
positively hydrophobic toward Caspian; but all the same I'll remember
what you say, and not be "precipitate"--one of your favourite words:
follows you about like a dog!

Before doing anything drastic, I'm hoping that my dear girl may see for
herself that Caspian is impossible. Or, if her devotion to Larry is like
the Rock of Gibraltar on which waves of contrary emotions dash
themselves in vain, it may be that Larry will do a little mining and
sapping on his own account. Captain and Mrs. Winston and I have formed
an alliance offensive and defensive, particularly the former, against
the coalesced forces of Caspian and Shuster. There has been no talk of
my private feelings--_bien entendu_--but the small nations are to be
protected by our united diplomacy. We're starting off on another
expedition planned with a certain bold audacity. Moore and his fat
fiancee are to travel together in Caspian's Wilmot, conducted by his
chauffeur, accompanied by the prettiest, most coquettish Miss Goodrich,
and one of Mrs. Shuster's Peace League Confreres, ex-Senator Collinge, a
violently intelligent man who looks (Mrs. Winston says) like a
moth-eaten lion with false teeth.

We hope and expect that Mrs. Shuster will get on Larry's sensitive
nerves when at such close quarters; that desperation combined with
natural inclination will drive him to flirt with Idonia Goodrich, who
will enthusiastically respond; that Mrs. Shuster's mortification may
drive her to such vulgar ven