He was at that time not more than twenty-nine years old--but two years before this happened, when Halcyone was about fifteen, he came again to the orchard house for a short Saturday to Monday visit.
From the moment that she knew he was coming a strange stillness seemed to fall upon the child.

She had grown long-legged and was at the fledgling stage when even a pretty girl sometimes looks plain, and she, who had as yet no claim to beauty, was at her worst.

She was quite aware of it, with her intense soul-worship of all beautiful things.

Some unreasoned impulse made her keep away from her master during the first day, but on the Sunday he summoned her, and, as once before, she came and poured out the tea, but it was a cold and windy autumn afternoon, and it was not laid out of doors.

John Derringham had been for a walk, and came in while she sat in a shadowy corner behind the table, teapot in hand.
He was greatly changed, she thought, in the three years.