"We may not be alone again before I go." She gave him her hand, and he held it for a little while, and then reluctantly let it go.
"That must last me until the summer of next year," he said with a smile.
"Until the summer," said Violet Oliver; and she passed out from the doorway into the ball-room.

But as she entered the room and came once more amongst the lights and the noise, and the familiar groups of her friends, she uttered a little sigh of relief.

The summer of next year was a long way off; and meanwhile here was an episode in her life ended as she wished it to end; for in these last minutes it had begun to disquiet her.
Shere Ali remained behind in the conservatory.

His eyes wandered about it.

He was impressing upon his memory every detail of the place, the colours of the flowers and their very perfumes.