And it was because his regard for them, in the abstract, had become centred in a single concrete example that he began to find the younger set a nuisance.

But others, it seemed, were quite as mad about Eileen Erroll as he was; and there seemed to be small chance for him to possess himself of her, unless he were prepared to make the matter of possession a pointed episode.

This he knew he had no right to do; she had conferred no such privilege upon him; and he was obliged to be careful of what he did and said lest half a thousand bright unwinking eyes wink too knowingly--lest frivolous tongues go clip-clap, and idle brains infer that which, alas! did not exist except in his vision of desire.
The Hither Woods had been hung with myriads of lanterns.

From every branch they swung in clusters or stretched away into perspective, turning the wooded aisles to brilliant vistas.

Under them the more romantic and the dance-worn strolled in animated groups or quieter twos; an army of servants flitted hither and thither, serving the acre or so of small tables over each of which an electric cluster shed yellow light.
Supper, and then the Woodland cotillon was the programme; and almost all the tables were filled before Selwyn had an opportunity to collect Nina and Austin and capture Eileen from a very rosy-cheeked and indignant boy who had quite lost his head and heart and appeared to be on the verge of a headlong declaration.
"It's only Percy Draymore's kid brother," she explained, passing her arm through his with a little sigh of satisfaction.