Book 1: Chapter 7 Summary

When Lily returns from her afternoon with Selden, she is greeted by a disapproving Mrs. Trenor. Judy Trenor is confused by Lily's pursuit of Mr. Selden, and admonishes her for interfering when Bertha and Selden were chatting in the library. This had apparently angered the volatile Bertha Dorset, who had had designs on spending the afternoon with Lawrence Selden herself. She retaliates by spending the afternoon sullying Lily's name to Percy Gryce, who in turn leaves Bellomont immediately, horrified by what he hears.

Mrs. Trenor spends the next hour listing all of the accusations, real or otherwise, that Bertha Dorset brought against Lily. Lily tries to defend herself against the accusations, but at the same time is appreciative of her friend's frankness. She apologizes contritely, and the two women go back to the secretarial duties that they had begun in the...