Rachel followed her indifferently.

Her mind was absorbed by Richard; by the extreme strangeness of what had happened, and by a thousand feelings of which she had not been conscious before.

She made scarcely any attempt to listen to what Helen was saying, as Helen indulged in commonplaces to begin with.

While Mrs.Ambrose arranged her embroidery, sucked her silk, and threaded her needle, she lay back gazing at the horizon.
"Did you like those people ?" Helen asked her casually.
"Yes," she replied blankly.
"You talked to him, didn't you ?" She said nothing for a minute.
"He kissed me," she said without any change of tone.
Helen started, looked at her, but could not make out what she felt.
"M-m-m'yes," she said, after a pause.

"I thought he was that kind of man." "What kind of man ?" said Rachel.
"Pompous and sentimental." "I like him," said Rachel.
"So you really didn't mind ?" For the first time since Helen had known her Rachel's eyes lit up brightly.
"I did mind," she said vehemently.