Beatrice came out among the earliest.

At the sight of her he was suddenly conscious that he had, after all, no excuse for coming, that she would probably cross-examine him about Elizabeth, would probably guess the secret of his torments.

He shrank back, but he was a moment too late for she had seen him.

With a few words of excuse to the others with whom she was talking, she picked up her skirts and came swiftly across the muddy street.

Tavernake had no time to escape.