It was a quarter of three when the party started to get quieter. Martini's wine, augmented with various bottles of sherry and brandy and two bottles of expensive champagne from Violet Bick, presents she said, and the mood turned more somber, even maudlin, although the atmosphere was generally of self-satisfied good cheer. But everyone straggled home to bed, everyone's children would surely be awake in two hours or less, eager for Santa.




