minutes.

The only thing to do was to wait, and that was the hardest task ever
given me. I shall not forget that day even if I live to be an old woman;
and looking back on it now over the months which have passed
since--months which seem longer than all the rest of my life put
together--I believe that my very character took on some change in those
hours, as metal is changed if you throw it on to the fire. I felt for
the first time that I was a woman, with all the childishness burnt out
of me; and I was glad, for I might have to do battle with those who were
older and wiser than I.

Mrs. Dalziel and Milly didn't appear till noon; but meanwhile I went
down and talked to a great many people in the hotel, people whom I
didn't know. After the excitement of the night, everybody chattered and
exchanged impressions with everybody else, without stopping to think or
care whether they had been introduced to each other. A few of the men
had a vague idea that something was being "hushed up," but none could
guess what it was, and nobody knew anything about Captain March.
Naturally I didn't tell what I had been told: that he was under arrest.
I trusted with all my heart that no one else had heard, or would hear,
the story. And I prayed that it might not be true. To Milly I would not
speak of him at all; for though she had apologized for yesterday, and
"made friends" with me again, I knew that there was a cruel streak in
her which would rejoice revengefully now, in any trouble that fell on
Eagle. She would feel that it was a direct punishment sent by Fate for
his indifference to her, and the way in which (for her own good) she had
forced him to show it.

We had been engaged for a short motor run with Tony in the afternoon,
but I was more disappointed than surprised when he sent a hurried note
to his mother saying that there was so much business to do he couldn't
get off. He might not even be able to dine. We were not to wait, but he
would turn up in time for dinner at seven-thirty if he could. In any
case, he would come in for a while later.

I had an evening dress Di had given me after she had tired of it, which
I had altered for myself, and Tony particularly liked it. I put it on
for dinner that night. Tony did manage to come, bearing an
offering--flowers for all three of us. I saw that he noticed the frock,
and with a little meaning smile at him, I tucked one of his roses down
into the neck. He flushed up at that, poor boy, all