"Miss Mallory is so charming and so kind." Miss Fanny cleared her throat, poked the fire with the tip of her shoe, fidgeted with her dress, and finally said--abruptly: "I say--have all the people about here called ?" The tone was so low and furtive that Mrs.Colwood, who had been putting away some embroidery silks which had been left on the table by Diana, turned in some astonishment.

She found the girl's eyes fixed upon her--eager and hungry.
"Miss Mallory has had a great many visitors"-- she tried to pitch her words in the lightest possible tone--"I am afraid it will take her a long time to return all her calls." "Well, I'm glad it's all right about that!--anyway.

As mamma said, you never know.

People are so queer about these things, aren't they?
As if it was Diana's fault!" Through all her wrath, Muriel Colwood was conscious of a sudden pang of alarm--which was, in truth, the reawakening of something already vaguely felt or surmised.

She looked rather sternly at her companion.
"I really don't know what you mean, Miss Merton.