The rules clearly stipulated that bidders were responsible for every bid they made. They were not allowed to retract their bids and would be held legally liable.
Additionally, some auction houses required bidders to submit a deposit.
If a bidder defaulted on payment after winning an auction, their deposit would be forfeited without question. They could even face serious criminal charges. The security deposit the auctioneer had just mentioned was exactly that—a deposit.
Mrs. Yates panicked when she heard this and, with no regard for her image, shrieked at the auctioneer, "Didn't you hear what I just said? Annabelle Linton tripped me! She's the one who tripped me!
"If she hadn't tricked me and tripped me, I wouldn't have dropped the vase! If you want money, I don't have a single cent! If someone has to pay, make Annabelle Linton pay for it! She's the one who broke it!"
