Summary

Chapter 15

The narrator meets with Edith for lunch at the beginning of Chapter 15. She seems eager to speak with him and is relaxed and comfortable when they meet. She has foreseen that Charles has put him up to talking to her and tries to forestall his lecturing by explaining she knows full well what she is doing. She appears to be putting stock in the hope that Simon will strike it big one day soon, returning her to a life of wealth. the narrator, who knows this is unlikely, expects she is compensating for her leaving Charles by believing that Simon is a better prospect than he really is.

After about a week, the story of Edith and Simon's affair hits the gossip columns and becomes the subject of wide discussion. Simon rather enjoys being in the papers, but Edith has already had her...