The ‘laughing hyena’, as he named Mrs Shotover to himself, grinned her obstinate determination to ‘stick him out’ and be left alone with her young friend. He was only thankful she had a coachman and dog-cart; so that there was no question of his having to walk back with her to West Horthing. He cordially detested her; and made up his mind to attack Nelly on the subject, and express his wonder as to what she could see in such a spiteful and silly old creature! That’s the worst of England, he thought. It’s such a confounded individualistic country, that a horrible old woman like that as long as she has money and ‘knows the neighbourhood’ can go on indefinitely making herself a general nuisance. In America, he supposed, she would have been put into her place and forced to mend her manners. Well! Well! After all, perhaps, there was something to be said for a system that encouraged everybody to grow into a ‘Character’, either a charming one or the reverse!
