There was a didactic element in him which was always leading him to try and improve other people.

But it filled her with a silent fury.
"Is everybody coming to the picnic to-morrow ?" asked Mrs.Hooper presently.
"Everybody." Alice pointed indifferently to a pile of notes lying on her desk.
"You asked Connie if we should invite Mr.Falloden ?" "Of course I did, mother.

He is away till next week." "I wonder if she cares for him ?" said Mrs.Hooper vaguely.
Alice laughed.
"If she does, she consoles herself pretty well, when he's not here." "You mean with Mr.Sorell ?" Alice nodded.
"Such a ridiculous pretence, those Greek lessons!" she said, her small face flaming.

"Nora says, after they have done a few lines, Constance begins to talk, and Mr.Sorell throws himself back in his chair, and they chatter about the places they've seen together, and the people they remember, till there's no more time left.

Nora says it's a farce." "I say, who's taking my name in vain ?" said Nora, who had just opened the schoolroom door and overheard the last sentence.
"Come in and shut the door," said Alice, "we were talking about your Greek lessons." "Jolly fun they are!" said Nora, balancing herself, as usual, on the window-sill.