Thus they passed the afternoon together without further mention of Bernard Dale; and it may be said, at any rate of Lily and Crosbie, that his presence was not missed.
Mrs Eames, with her son and daughter, were the first to come.

"It is so nice of you to come early," said Lily, trying on the spur of the moment to say something which should sound pleasant and happy, but in truth using that form of welcome which to my ears sounds always the most ungracious.

"Ten minutes before the time named; and, of course, you must have understood that I meant thirty minutes after it!" That is my interpretation of the words when I am thanked for coming early.
But Mrs Eames was a kind, patient, unexacting woman, who took all civil words as meaning civility.

And, indeed, Lily had meant nothing else.
"Yes; we did come early," said Mrs Eames, "because Mary thought she would like to go up into the girls' room and just settle her hair, you know." "So she shall," said Lily, who had taken Mary by the hand.
"And we knew we shouldn't be in the way.

Johnny can go out into the garden if there's anything left to be done." "He shan't be banished unless he likes it," said Mrs Dale.