WINDLESTRAWS. By Phyllis Bottome. (Collins. 7s. 6d.) —In her new
book, Miss Bottome tells of the very remarkable experiences of a girl, Jean Arbuthnot, who goes as secretary to a beautiful woman, living in a large country house. She had been warned beforehand that she would be expected to act as general prop and stay in the household in the intervals of letter writing and the preparation of election speeches : actually she becomes a sort of general manager of love affairs. Beatrice Falconer, her employer,: loathes her husband and is loved by her cousin, who is a permanent guest in the house. These three, while remaining rather heavily chivalrous, play upon one another's emotions in a most uncomfortable
manner, and all confide in the secretary, who becomes their intimate in an amazingly short time. Jean really makes the best possible comment on life at Windlestraws when she exclaims. " I thought you all knew how to live—and you don't ! It's like knives under roses !" The book is interesting up to a point, but it, does not rise much above the magazine- story level. Some of Miss Bottome's other novels have been very much better than this extremely intricate and emotional tale.
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