Catherine had a paperback called Graphology: The Mind in the Hand, which gave her all sorts of warnings about people’s tendencies and repressions (“Artist or Madman?” “Pet or Brute?”). “It's those enormous ascenders, darling,” she said: “I see a lot of ego.”

'Malarkey and confustication,' said Mrs Brummidge, trying not to laugh.

Would I had him here again, I would so bounce him , I would so thank his lordship for his lewd plot.

The most serious cold water swimmers participate in competitive ice swimming events in bodies of water less than 41 °F (5 °C), sometimes carved out of frozen rivers or lakes and part of the International Winter Swimming Association and the International Ice Swimming Association.