Book 2 Ch 9

Lily is working (!) as a secretary for Mrs Hatch, which she is fine with because it means that she can live in a hotel and be waited on and such. She is shocked by this new lower level of society, and also surprised that Mrs Hatch is such a central part of it, as well as Bertie Van Osburgh who seems to have a romance with Mrs Hatch. Lily is good at her job, but thinks that Bertie wants her to help make Mrs Hatch suitable for the higher classes, which she thinks is a hilarious thought. Selden comes and visits, and tells her she should come back and let Gerty help her rather than sinking to this low level of society. Even after Lily explains that she owes most of what she got from Mrs Peniton, he is still optimistic that Gerty can help. Lily still refuses and points out that Selden himself had said before that people like Lily's sole purpose was to live up to her upbringing, and that Lily could still do that with a little more time. Selden says that he didn't include Lily in that statement, but understands that Lily won't listen to him.