She looked at him reading his paper, with frequent glances of admiration over it at his beautiful wife, and thought that in his place, she should much prefer a woman like her mother, who had kept things lively, even without company, and even in a somewhat questionable fashion.

However, Harry and Ida themselves went out a good deal.

People in Edgham aped city society, they even talked about the "four hundred." The newly wedded pair were frequent guests of honor at dinners and receptions, and Ida herself was a member of the Edgham's Woman's Club, and that took her out a good deal.

Maria was rather lonely.

Finally the added state and luxury of her life, which had at first pleased her, failed to do so.
She felt that she hated all the new order of things, and her heart yearned for the old.