Helen of Troy; and Rose by Phyllis Bottome

The Hotel le Roy became a place for consultations. Everybody interviewed everybody else. The hall, the stuffy red salon, the tiny, damp garden, even the lift became indispensable for hurried conversations, but of course none of them had the least result. Léon, from the moment of his engagement, had taken rooms at another hotel -- this was at once more _convenable_ and also much more convenient. His French relatives were furious. He let them consume their fury among themselves, and told them when he had to see them, that their interest in his affairs was charming.

The Pinsents were all trying to be large-minded, uninsular and modern, but they didn't like it.