Apparently the girls have not yet been successfully shooed, because there's still that ambient noise of whispering and fidgeting and, now, a couple of noises of dismay. The 'eww' girl shouts "Ewwwwwwwww," again.

"Margaret," says Tenenbaum sharply.

"Why're you friends with him?" says Paulina. She sounds disappointed, as if knowing Jack is a major flaw in Sinclair's otherwise unimpeachable character.

"Paulina," says Tenenbaum with waning patience, "all of you, the other room while I speak with Mr. Sinclair."

She sighs and rubs her face as they finally begin to troop out, some of the more obedient and/or more self-preserving tugging on the others' sleeves.

"Bye-bye, mister! Tschüs! Bye-bye! Ciao!"

"Isabel."

"...Yes, mama." The last set of footsteps hurries off, with a proud background "I said goodbye to him!".

Tenenbaum audibly exhales. Young children are difficult.

And speaking of difficult children.

"What has happened?"