Tensions by EM Delafield Part I

This is a fairly short novel by Delafield, largely about the power of gossip. It starts with our being introduced to Sir Julian Rossiter and his wife Edna. He is a country gentleman and she is a stupid, selfish woman who thinks that she is wonderful. Like some of Delafield's male characters, she is constantly talking about herself and how democratic she is. Her husband has an interest in a Commercial college on his land, which trains young people to type, do shorthand, and learn about running a business or working in one. Sir Julian has an estate manager, Mark Easter who is a good friend of his. Lady Rossitter considers it her duty to "help" Mark and makes a fuss of him. He has a problem in that he is married, with 2 young children, and his wife has had to be put in a home for alcoholics.. so he is married but not married. The two children are brats and Lady Rossiter can't stand them but they are always coming over to her house. Mark is too busy to look after them much and has to rely on his housekeeper Sarah. The action starts when Sir Julian raises the issue of having a new female superintendant for the college. Lady Rossitter says that she knew of a girl with the same name, who was engaged to a cousin of hers. He was in an accident and for a time it looked like he would be semi paralysed. His fiancee threw him over. Clarence, the young man, recovered and has married, but Lady Rossitter continues to harp on how dreadful the girl was, to break her engagement. Sir Julian says that they dont know if she is the girl, and anyway it's none of their business. He is indifferent to his wife, but he is rather annoyed at her going on about this issue.