"But even with that," he said, "you can back better than we.

And you ought to, for you could hear our bells half a mile off." "And you could see our lights." "We couldn't, because of the fog." "Well, our time's precious," said the coachman, haughtily.

"You are only going to some trumpery little village or other in the neighborhood, while we are going straight to Italy." "Driving all the way, I suppose," said Winterborne, sarcastically.
The argument continued in these terms till a voice from the interior of the carriage inquired what was the matter.

It was a lady's.
She was briefly informed of the timber people's obstinacy; and then Giles could hear her telling the footman to direct the timber people to turn their horses' heads.
The message was brought, and Winterborne sent the bearer back to say that he begged the lady's pardon, but that he could not do as she requested; that though he would not assert it to be impossible, it was impossible by comparison with the slight difficulty to her party to back their light carriages.

As fate would have it, the incident with Grace Melbury on the previous day made Giles less gentle than he might otherwise have shown himself, his confidence in the sex being rudely shaken.
In fine, nothing could move him, and the carriages were compelled to back till they reached one of the sidings or turnouts constructed in the bank for the purpose.