‘And were you warm? There is no down quilt. I am sure you need one. You mustn’t have a great pressure of clothes.’

‘I’ve got one,’ he said. ‘It is coming down.’

They measured the rooms, and lingered over every consideration. Ursula stood at the window and watched the woman carrying the tea up the bank to the pond. She hated the palaver Hermione made, she wanted to drink tea, she wanted anything but this fuss and business.

At last they all mounted the grassy bank, to the picnic. Hermione poured out tea. She ignored now Ursula’s presence. And Ursula, recovering from her ill-humour, turned to Gerald saying:

‘Oh, I hated you so much the other day, Mr Crich,’