She could not hear all he said, because of the noise, and thought he did not hear her, but she did not mind.

She liked his cheerfulness and frank satisfaction.

The gloom outside and the blurred lights in the fog gave the excursion a touch of romantic adventure.
They got down at a station by a muddy dock-road.

Ponderous lorries with giant horses rolled out of the gloom between stacks of goods; wet cattle were entangled in the press of traffic, and Barbara was relieved when Lister pushed back a sliding door.

Then she stopped for a moment, half daunted by the noise and bustle, and looked about.
Big lights hung from the room of the long shed, but did not pierce the gloom that lurked between the piles of cargo.