"I must go now," she said.

"Would you like me to send out one of the girls to entertain you ?" He shook his head.

"No, I think I'll stroll about the village for a bit." They both felt as if the first milestone of their new relationship had been set deep in the earth, and both were glad and relieved that it was so.
Radmore walked about a bit, admiring Janet's autumnal herbaceous borders, and then he remembered a door that he had known of old which led from the big kitchen garden into the road.

If it was open he could step out without walking across the front of the house.
He turned into the walled garden, and walked quickly down a well-kept path past the sun-dial to the door.

It was open.