"You are the elder." "Age does not count in these matters.

I take precedence, as a married woman.

Will you bring up the rear, Georgina, as my poor admiral would have said ?" Miss Crewys bestowed a parting toss of the head upon the doctor, and followed her victorious sister.
The doctor laughed silently to himself, standing in the pretty shady drawing-room; now gay with flowers, and chintz, and Dresden china.
"I wonder if she would not have been even more annoyed with my presumption if I _had_ offered her my arm," he said to himself, amusedly, "than she is offended by my neglect to do so ?" He did not follow the others into the blinding sunshine of the terrace.

He had had a long morning's work, and was hot and tired.

He looked at his watch.
"Past one o'clock; h'm! we are lucky if we get anything to eat before half-past two.