As far as the eye could reach was within the estate which she had inherited from her father and her uncle.
The half-hour passed in waiting had in one way its advantages to the girl: though she was still as high strung as ever, she acquired a larger measure of control over herself.

The nervous tension, however, was so complete physically that all her faculties were acutely awake; very early she became conscious of a distant footstep.
To Stephen's straining ears the footsteps seemed wondrous slow, and more wondrous regular; she felt instinctively that she would have liked to have listened to a more hurried succession of less evenly-marked sounds.
But notwithstanding these thoughts, and the qualms which came in their turn, the sound of the coming feet brought great joy.

For, after all, they were coming; and coming just in time to prevent the sense of disappointment at their delay gaining firm foothold.

It was only when the coming was assured that she felt how strong had been the undercurrent of her apprehension lest they should not come at all.
Very sweet and tender and beautiful Stephen looked at this moment.

The strong lines of her face were softened by the dark fire in her eyes and the feeling which glowed in the deep blushes which mantled her cheeks.
The proudness of her bearing was no less marked than ever, but in the willowy sway of her body there was a yielding of mere sorry pride.