He had accepted Cedric's invitation with reluctance, and had put him off again and again.

He had a remorseful consciousness that he might have been a guest at the Wood House eighteen months ago.

By this time he would have been intimate with the sisters.

He might--but here Malcolm leapt rather impatiently from his couch.

What was the good of thinking over past mistakes! He had been a fool, and stood in his own light--that was all.