Miss Hewett, he learnt, was not at home; she had gone forth two hours ago, and nothing was known of her movements.
Sidney turned away and began to walk up and down the shadowed side of the street; there was no breath of air stirring, and from the open windows radiated stuffy odours.

A quarter of an hour sufficed to exasperate him with anxiety and physical malaise.

He suffered from his inability to do anything at once, from conflict with himself as to whether or not it behoved him to speak with John Hewett; of Clara he thought with anger rather than fear, for her behaviour seemed to prove that nothing had happened save the inevitable breach with Mrs.Tubbs.
Just as he had said to himself that it was no use waiting about all the afternoon, he saw Clara approaching.

At sight of him she manifested neither surprise nor annoyance, but came forward with eyes carelessly averted.

Not having seen her for so long, Sidney was startled by the change in her features; her cheeks had sunk, her eyes were unnaturally dark, there was something worse than the familiar self-will about her lips.
'I've been waiting to see you,' he said.