In the gloom of his present appraisal of himself, he now realised with shocking distinctness that the women he called upon were always on the point of going somewhere else.
"Hello, Simmy," cried Anne gaily.

He had never seen her looking more beautiful.

There was real colour in her smooth cheeks and the sparkle of enthusiasm in her big, dark eyes.
He shook hands with her.

"Hello," he said.
"I can spare you just twenty minutes, Simmy," she said, peering at the little French clock on the mantelpiece with the frankest sort of calculation.

"Going to the dressmaker's at five, you know.