He drew back, and flung the flowers down into the grate.
"I only came to tell you dinner was nearly ready," he said haughtily, "and to bring you those.

But I will await you in the sitting-room, when you are dressed." And he turned round and left through the door by which he had come.
And Zara called her maid rather sharply, and had her hair plaited and done, and got quickly into her dress.

And when she was ready she went slowly into the sitting-room.
She found Tristram leaning upon the mantelpiece, glaring moodily into the flames.

He had stood thus for ten minutes, coming to a decision in his mind.
He had been very angry just now, and he thought was justified; but he knew he was passionately in love, as he had never dreamed nor imagined he could be in the whole of his life.
Should he tell her at once about it?
and implore her not to be so cold and hard?
But no, that would be degrading.

After all, he had already shown her a proof of the most reckless devotion, in asking to marry her, after having seen her only once! And she, what had her reasons been?
They were forcible enough or she would not have consented to her uncle's wishes before they had even ever met; and he recalled, when he had asked her only on Thursday last if she would wish to be released, that she had said firmly that she wished the marriage to take place.