But to her surprise it was vacant.

She looked round and saw Bevis's countenance gleaming with satisfaction.
'My sisters will be here in a few minutes,' he said.

'A few minutes at most.

Will you take this chair, Mrs.Widdowson?
How delighted I am that you were able to come!' So perfectly natural was his manner, that Monica, after the first moment of consternation, tried to forget that there was anything irregular in her presence here under these circumstances.

As regards social propriety, a flat differs in many respects from a house.