She put off the necessary changing of garments till there was scarcely time for it.

When at length she was summoned she went down with flushed face.
'I feel as if I were going to have a fever,' she said to Stella in the drawing-room.

She could not help uttering the words, but laughed immediately.
'Your hand is really very hot,' Stella replied.
Mutimer had a cab at the door, and was waiting in the hall.
'You're a long time,' was his greeting, with more impatience than he had ever used to her.
When they were together in the hansom: 'Why did you refuse Alice's invitation before ?' he asked with displeasure.
'I didn't think she really wished me to accept it.' She spoke without misgiving, still resenting his manner.
'Didn't think?
Why, what do you mean ?' She made no reply.
'You didn't ask her to call, either ?' 'I ought to have done so.

I am very sorry to have neglected it.' He looked at her with surprise which was very like a sneer, and kept silence till they reached the house.
One of the ladies whom Adela had already met, and a gentleman styled Captain something, were guests at dinner.

Alice received her sister-in-law with evident pleasure, though not perhaps that of pure hospitableness.
'I do hope it won't be too much for you,' she said.