She sat down on the end of Constance's bed, and took out some knitting from her pocket.

She foresaw a conversation in which she would need her wits about her, and some mechanical employment steadied the mind.
"Annette, you know," said Constance slowly, "I've got to be married some time." "I've heard you say that before." Annette began to count some stitches.
"Oh, it's all very well," said Constance, with amusement--"you think you know all about me, but you don't.

You don't know, for instance, that I went to ride over a week ago with a young man, without telling you, or Aunt Ellen, or Uncle Ewen, or anybody!" She waited to see the effect of her announcement.

Annette did appear rather startled.
"I suppose you met him on the road ?" "I didn't! I made an appointment with him.

We went to a big wood, some miles out of Oxford, belonging to some people he knows, where there are beautiful grass rides.