Excellent point, I thought the same thing. I was very surprised by Bella's comment and empathy; she's a real bitch in her own way, but she probably has a good heart. She's definitely risen in my estimation, and I think she'll be a great help to poor Ashe. So, does Ms. X's blackmail still have any effect?
And I think Vanessa is the perfect hypocritical little bourgeois girl.