Already she felt within her a stealing allegiance to their standards, an acceptance of their limitations, a disbelief in the things they did not believe in, a contemptuous pity for the people who were not able to live as they lived.
The early sunset was slanting across the park.

Through the boughs of the long avenue beyond the gardens she caught the flash of wheels, and divined that more visitors were approaching.

There was a movement behind her, a scattering of steps and voices: it was evident that the party about the tea-table was breaking up.

Presently she heard a tread behind her on the terrace.

She supposed that Mr.Gryce had at last found means to escape from his predicament, and she smiled at the significance of his coming to join her instead of beating an instant retreat to the fire-side.
She turned to give him the welcome which such gallantry deserved; but her greeting wavered into a blush of wonder, for the man who had approached her was Lawrence Selden.
"You see I came after all," he said; but before she had time to answer, Mrs.Dorset, breaking away from a lifeless colloquy with her host, had stepped between them with a little gesture of appropriation..