Summary

Chapter 2

Edith Lavery grew up on the fringes of society. Her father a descendent of Jewish immigrants, her mother a descendent of a distant, low-ranking royal (her grandmother was a great-niece of a baronet) "the very lowest hereditary rank" (p.12) Mrs. Lavery imagines herself part of "society" and wants to introduce her daughter into that world.

The Lavery's are well off, but not part of the upper-class society that Mrs. Lavery intends to have their daughter, Edith, become a part of. Edith is agreeable and enjoys the parties and dresses that go along with being a society debutante. Although upper class girls attend, there is still segregation between them and the girls from upper-middles class, like Edith. Edith goes to a good school, and is friendly with the upper-class girls she knows from there, but after the debut she goes on much as before...