The London jungle
Cordelia describes her employee Bevis as having a venal charm, and that he is better equipped to survive in the London jungle. The implied cruelty that comes with greediness and competitive spirit goes well with the atmosphere and themes of the novel.
Gold mine
Cordelia remembers her partner Bernie who passed away with affection and bitterness because of the failure of his dream. He hoped that the office he opened together with her will become a gold mine. The sadness that came with the failure led to his death and Cordelia thinks to herself that she is glad that Bernie can't see how "small the nugget and how thin the seam".
The central golden figure
In her preparation for her investigative work for Clarissa, Cordelia thinks about all the surrounding people with their varied personalities circling like planets around a central golden figure. Each of those planets has a separate story which intertwines with Clarissa, and Cordelia will discover that all of them have a reason, as petty as it may be, to send her threatening messages.
First impression of Clarissa
Upon arriving to the castle, Cordelia is struck by Clarissa. She leaves a strong impression on her, the impression of a goddess of classical mythology with her attendants. The appearance of Clarissa and her mannerisms are exaggerated throughout the novel. She is a flawed character who gave reasons to all the guests in the castle to dislike her, which makes the anticipation thus more thrilling.
