She beat her poor wings in vain against that ironic fact.

Never had he done what she had expected.

On Bignor Hill, in the Law Court at Bombay, he had equally surprised her.
Now once more he held her destinies in his hand.

What would he decide?
What had he decided?
"Yes, he will have decided now," said Stella to herself; and a certain calm fell upon her troubled soul.

Whatever was to be was now determined.
She went back to the tea-table and waited.
Henry Thresk had not much of the romantic in his character.