Explore "Quicksands" by B.M. Croker on Textopian. Read with annotations and highlights.
With considerable difficulty and various feeble excuses I released myself from Dolly's assiduities, promising to send her a chit as soon as I had collected my thoughts, and to let her know what I intended to do with respect to this social avalanche.
As I walked back alone to the bungalow I told myself that it was a strange coincidence that I had been within the last six months involved in the uprooting of two homes, "The Roost," and now "The Dovecot." Was there something malignant and destructive in my personality? That such a scandal should be placed to the credit of Mrs. Hayes-Billington seemed a crazy, incredible idea. She was domestic and prudent, apparently devoted to Bertie, careful of offending Mrs. Grundy, and totally unlike my lurid mental picture of a _divorcée_. Then I suddenly recalled Colonel Armadale on the _Asphodel_, and as I was endeavouring to piece past and present experiences into one whole, I became aware that a tonga and a pair of smoking ponies were standing in front of "The Dovecot," and beheld Ronnie hurrying towards me with a white excited face, on which I could not help noticing a large splash of mud! Judging by his appearance he had travelled far and fast.