Mrs.Mewling went about with a story, that only by physical restraint had the unhappy girl been kept from taking flight.
The name of Hubert Eldon once more came up in conversation.

There was an unauthenticated rumour that he had been seen of late, lurking about Wanley.

The more boldly speculative gossips looked with delicious foreboding to the results of a marriage such as this.

Given a young man of Eldon's reputation--ah me! The Walthams all lunched (or dined) at the Manor.

Mutimer was in high spirits, or seemed so; there were moments when the cheerful look died on his face, and his thoughts wandered from the conversation; but if his eye fell on Adela he never failed to smile the smile of inner satisfaction.