They sauntered about the garden-paths just out of earshot, and several times it seemed to Olga that they were talking confidentially together.

She wondered impatiently how Violet could endure the man at such close quarters.

But then there were many things that Violet liked that she found quite unbearable.
Slowly the afternoon wore away.

The young hostess still sat under the limes, severely darning, but Violet and her companion had disappeared unobtrusively into a more secluded part of the garden.

For nearly half an hour she had heard no sound of voices.