She had declared to herself very frequently that her liking for this young nobleman was as purely a feeling of mere friendship as was that of her brother; and she had professed to herself that she would give the lie to the world's cold sarcasms on such subjects.

But she had now acknowledged that the sarcasms of the world on that matter, cold though they may be, are not the less true; and having so acknowledged, she had resolved that all close alliance between herself and Lord Lufton must be at an end.

She had come to a conclusion, but he had come to none; and in this frame of mind he was now there with the object of reopening that dangerous friendship which she had had the sense to close.
"And so you are going to-morrow ?" she said, as soon as they were both within the drawing-room.
"Yes: I'm off by the early train to-morrow morning, and Heaven knows when we may meet again." "Next winter, shall we not ?" "Yes, for a day or two, I suppose.

I do not know whether I shall pass another winter here.

Indeed, one can never say where one will be." "No, one can't; such as you, at least, cannot.