Thus the time went on for all of them, and none but the priest felt any premonition that Christmas would certainly bring a climax in all of their fates.
Lord Fordyce had hardly ever spent this season away from his mother, who was a very old lady now, and deeply devoted to him; but the imperative desire to be near his adored overcame any other feeling, and he, with the Princess and her son and father, was due to arrive at Heronac on the day before Christmas Eve.
He ran across Michael at the Ritz the night before he left Paris.

They were both dining with parties, and nodded across the room, and then afterwards in the hall had a few words.
"To-morrow I am going down to Heronac, Michael," Henry said.

"Where do you intend to spend the festive season?
Here, I suppose ?" "Yes, it is as good as anywhere," Michael returned.

"I felt I could not stand the whole thing at Arranstoun.

I have been away from England so long, I must get used to these old anniversaries again gradually.