The little coupe had very powerful engines and flew along, so they were well ahead of the rest of the party and would get to the house first, which was what the hostess had calculated upon.
Then Tristram could have the pleasure of presenting his bride to the assembled company at tea, without the interruptions of the greetings of the other folk.
Zara felt excited.

She was beginning to realize that these English people were all of her dead father's class, not creatures whom one must beware of until one knew whether or not they were gamblers or rogues.
And it made her breathe more freely, and the black panther's look died out of her eyes.

She did not feel nervous, as she well might have done--only excited and highly worked up.

Tristram, for his part, wished to heaven Ethelrida had not arranged to send the coupe for them.

It was such a terrible temptation for him to resist for five miles, sitting so near her all alone in the dusk of the afternoon! He clenched his hands under the rug, and drew as far away from her as he could; and she glanced at him and wondered, almost timidly, why he looked so stern.
"I hope you will tell me, if there is anything special you wish me to do, please ?" she said.