used before a singular noun to mean one of a group, when it is not a particular one
From this reading NEW BRIDGE On New Bridge, over Dart, stood Dinah with the sun warm upon her face, while a first butterfly hovered on the golden broom at water's edge.
aboutprepositionUS /əˈbaʊt/
on the subject of; concerning
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
a positive feeling of liking
From this reading To her direct instincts delay had been a suffering and produced a condition of mental bad health; but it was not for her own sake that she had delayed, and she knew now that her hesitation had been no kindness to Johnny, though endured largely out of affection for him.
used to join words or parts of a sentence that go together
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
one or some or every or all without specification
From this reading She was convinced, beyond possibility of doubt, that her regard could not be called love and she had determined with herself, as she was bound to do, that to marry under such circumstances would be no marriage in any seemly interpretation of the contract.
at the same time that; because; in the way that
From this reading She was convinced, beyond possibility of doubt, that her regard could not be called love and she had determined with herself, as she was bound to do, that to marry under such circumstances would be no marriage in any seemly interpretation of the contract.
in or near a particular place or position
From this reading NEW BRIDGE On New Bridge, over Dart, stood Dinah with the sun warm upon her face, while a first butterfly hovered on the golden broom at water's edge.
having undesirable or negative qualities
From this reading To her direct instincts delay had been a suffering and produced a condition of mental bad health; but it was not for her own sake that she had delayed, and she knew now that her hesitation had been no kindness to Johnny, though endured largely out of affection for him.
used with a past participle to form the passive, or with -ing for continuous tenses
From this reading She was convinced, beyond possibility of doubt, that her regard could not be called love and she had determined with herself, as she was bound to do, that to marry under such circumstances would be no marriage in any seemly interpretation of the contract.
the qualities that give pleasure to the senses
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
beenauxiliary verbUS /bɪn/
the past participle of “be”
From this reading To her direct instincts delay had been a suffering and produced a condition of mental bad health; but it was not for her own sake that she had delayed, and she knew now that her hesitation had been no kindness to Johnny, though endured largely out of affection for him.
in the space, time, or range separating two things
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
on the far side of; further than
From this reading She was convinced, beyond possibility of doubt, that her regard could not be called love and she had determined with herself, as she was bound to do, that to marry under such circumstances would be no marriage in any seemly interpretation of the contract.
confined by bonds
From this reading She was convinced, beyond possibility of doubt, that her regard could not be called love and she had determined with herself, as she was bound to do, that to marry under such circumstances would be no marriage in any seemly interpretation of the contract.
a structure that allows people or vehicles to cross an obstacle such as a river or canal or railway etc.
From this reading NEW BRIDGE On New Bridge, over Dart, stood Dinah with the sun warm upon her face, while a first butterfly hovered on the golden broom at water's edge.
broomnounUS /bruːm/
a cleaning implement for sweeping; bundle of straws or twigs attached to a long handle
From this reading NEW BRIDGE On New Bridge, over Dart, stood Dinah with the sun warm upon her face, while a first butterfly hovered on the golden broom at water's edge.
used to introduce something that contrasts with what came before
From this reading But she had decided at last, and having done so, she could only wonder why it had taken her so many weeks to reach a decision.
butterflyverbUS /ˈbʌtərflaɪ/
flutter like a butterfly
From this reading NEW BRIDGE On New Bridge, over Dart, stood Dinah with the sun warm upon her face, while a first butterfly hovered on the golden broom at water's edge.
showing who or what does the action
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
past form of “call” — assign a specified (usually proper) proper name to
From this reading She was convinced, beyond possibility of doubt, that her regard could not be called love and she had determined with herself, as she was bound to do, that to marry under such circumstances would be no marriage in any seemly interpretation of the contract.
your overall circumstances or condition in life (including everything that happens to you)
From this reading She was convinced, beyond possibility of doubt, that her regard could not be called love and she had determined with herself, as she was bound to do, that to marry under such circumstances would be no marriage in any seemly interpretation of the contract.
a state at a particular time
From this reading To her direct instincts delay had been a suffering and produced a condition of mental bad health; but it was not for her own sake that she had delayed, and she knew now that her hesitation had been no kindness to Johnny, though endured largely out of affection for him.
contractverbUS /ˈkɑːntrækt/
enter into a contractual arrangement
From this reading She was convinced, beyond possibility of doubt, that her regard could not be called love and she had determined with herself, as she was bound to do, that to marry under such circumstances would be no marriage in any seemly interpretation of the contract.
persuaded of; very sure
From this reading She was convinced, beyond possibility of doubt, that her regard could not be called love and she had determined with herself, as she was bound to do, that to marry under such circumstances would be no marriage in any seemly interpretation of the contract.
the past of “can”; used for possibility or polite requests
From this reading But she had decided at last, and having done so, she could only wonder why it had taken her so many weeks to reach a decision.
DartverbUS /dɑːrt/
move along rapidly and lightly; skim or dart
From this reading NEW BRIDGE On New Bridge, over Dart, stood Dinah with the sun warm upon her face, while a first butterfly hovered on the golden broom at water's edge.
time for Earth to make a complete rotation on its axis
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
recognizable; marked
From this reading But she had decided at last, and having done so, she could only wonder why it had taken her so many weeks to reach a decision.
the act of making up your mind about something
From this reading But she had decided at last, and having done so, she could only wonder why it had taken her so many weeks to reach a decision.
cause to be slowed down or delayed
From this reading To her direct instincts delay had been a suffering and produced a condition of mental bad health; but it was not for her own sake that she had delayed, and she knew now that her hesitation had been no kindness to Johnny, though endured largely out of affection for him.
delayedadjectiveUS /dɪˈleɪd/
not as far along as normal in development
From this reading To her direct instincts delay had been a suffering and produced a condition of mental bad health; but it was not for her own sake that she had delayed, and she knew now that her hesitation had been no kindness to Johnny, though endured largely out of affection for him.
characterized by great determination
From this reading She was convinced, beyond possibility of doubt, that her regard could not be called love and she had determined with herself, as she was bound to do, that to marry under such circumstances would be no marriage in any seemly interpretation of the contract.
the quality of being unlike or dissimilar
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
Dinah
Dictionary entry pending editorial verification. Tap Listen to hear the word.
From this reading NEW BRIDGE On New Bridge, over Dart, stood Dinah with the sun warm upon her face, while a first butterfly hovered on the golden broom at water's edge.
command with authority
From this reading To her direct instincts delay had been a suffering and produced a condition of mental bad health; but it was not for her own sake that she had delayed, and she knew now that her hesitation had been no kindness to Johnny, though endured largely out of affection for him.
used to form questions and negatives, and to give emphasis
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
having finished or arrived at completion
From this reading But she had decided at last, and having done so, she could only wonder why it had taken her so many weeks to reach a decision.
the state of being unsure of something
From this reading She was convinced, beyond possibility of doubt, that her regard could not be called love and she had determined with herself, as she was bound to do, that to marry under such circumstances would be no marriage in any seemly interpretation of the contract.
the boundary of a surface
From this reading NEW BRIDGE On New Bridge, over Dart, stood Dinah with the sun warm upon her face, while a first butterfly hovered on the golden broom at water's edge.
enduredverbUS /enˈdjʊrd/
past form of “endure” — put up with something or somebody unpleasant
From this reading To her direct instincts delay had been a suffering and produced a condition of mental bad health; but it was not for her own sake that she had delayed, and she knew now that her hesitation had been no kindness to Johnny, though endured largely out of affection for him.
the front of the human head from the forehead to the chin and ear to ear
From this reading NEW BRIDGE On New Bridge, over Dart, stood Dinah with the sun warm upon her face, while a first butterfly hovered on the golden broom at water's edge.
firstadjectiveUS /fɜːrst/
preceding all others in time or space or degree
From this reading NEW BRIDGE On New Bridge, over Dart, stood Dinah with the sun warm upon her face, while a first butterfly hovered on the golden broom at water's edge.
intended to be given to, or used by, somebody
From this reading To her direct instincts delay had been a suffering and produced a condition of mental bad health; but it was not for her own sake that she had delayed, and she knew now that her hesitation had been no kindness to Johnny, though endured largely out of affection for him.
having the deep slightly brownish color of gold
From this reading NEW BRIDGE On New Bridge, over Dart, stood Dinah with the sun warm upon her face, while a first butterfly hovered on the golden broom at water's edge.
hadauxiliary verbUS /hæd/
the past form of “have”, used to form the past perfect
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
havingauxiliary verbUS /ˈhævɪŋ/
the -ing form of “have”
From this reading But she had decided at last, and having done so, she could only wonder why it had taken her so many weeks to reach a decision.
a healthy state of wellbeing free from disease
From this reading To her direct instincts delay had been a suffering and produced a condition of mental bad health; but it was not for her own sake that she had delayed, and she knew now that her hesitation had been no kindness to Johnny, though endured largely out of affection for him.
belonging to a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned
From this reading NEW BRIDGE On New Bridge, over Dart, stood Dinah with the sun warm upon her face, while a first butterfly hovered on the golden broom at water's edge.
in or at this place; where the speaker or writer is
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
used when the woman or girl doing the action is also its object
From this reading She was convinced, beyond possibility of doubt, that her regard could not be called love and she had determined with herself, as she was bound to do, that to marry under such circumstances would be no marriage in any seemly interpretation of the contract.
hesitationnounUS /ˌhezəˈteɪʃən/
indecision in speech or action
From this reading To her direct instincts delay had been a suffering and produced a condition of mental bad health; but it was not for her own sake that she had delayed, and she knew now that her hesitation had been no kindness to Johnny, though endured largely out of affection for him.
the male already mentioned, as the object of a verb or preposition
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
belonging to a man, boy, or male animal already mentioned
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
hoveredverbUS /ˈhʌvərd/
past form of “hover” — be undecided about something; waver between conflicting positions or courses of action
From this reading NEW BRIDGE On New Bridge, over Dart, stood Dinah with the sun warm upon her face, while a first butterfly hovered on the golden broom at water's edge.
inside something, or within a place, period, or state
From this reading She was convinced, beyond possibility of doubt, that her regard could not be called love and she had determined with herself, as she was bound to do, that to marry under such circumstances would be no marriage in any seemly interpretation of the contract.
instinctsnounUS /ˈɪnstɪŋkts/
plural of “instinct” — inborn pattern of behavior often responsive to specific stimuli
From this reading To her direct instincts delay had been a suffering and produced a condition of mental bad health; but it was not for her own sake that she had delayed, and she knew now that her hesitation had been no kindness to Johnny, though endured largely out of affection for him.
interpretationnounUS /ˌɪntɜːrprɪˈteɪʃən/
a mental representation of the meaning or significance of something
From this reading She was convinced, beyond possibility of doubt, that her regard could not be called love and she had determined with herself, as she was bound to do, that to marry under such circumstances would be no marriage in any seemly interpretation of the contract.
a thing, animal, or idea already mentioned
From this reading But she had decided at last, and having done so, she could only wonder why it had taken her so many weeks to reach a decision.
“Johnny” was applied as a nickname for Confederate soldiers by the Federal soldiers in the American Civil War; “greyback” derived from their grey Confederate uniforms
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
the quality of being warmhearted and considerate and humane and sympathetic
From this reading To her direct instincts delay had been a suffering and produced a condition of mental bad health; but it was not for her own sake that she had delayed, and she knew now that her hesitation had been no kindness to Johnny, though endured largely out of affection for him.
inflected form of “know” — be cognizant or aware of a fact or a specific piece of information; possess knowledge or information about
From this reading To her direct instincts delay had been a suffering and produced a condition of mental bad health; but it was not for her own sake that she had delayed, and she knew now that her hesitation had been no kindness to Johnny, though endured largely out of affection for him.
largelyadverbUS /ˈlɑːrdʒli/
in large part; mainly or chiefly
From this reading To her direct instincts delay had been a suffering and produced a condition of mental bad health; but it was not for her own sake that she had delayed, and she knew now that her hesitation had been no kindness to Johnny, though endured largely out of affection for him.
immediately past
From this reading But she had decided at last, and having done so, she could only wonder why it had taken her so many weeks to reach a decision.
a strong positive emotion of regard and affection
From this reading She was convinced, beyond possibility of doubt, that her regard could not be called love and she had determined with herself, as she was bound to do, that to marry under such circumstances would be no marriage in any seemly interpretation of the contract.
a quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by “as” or “too” or “so” or “that”; amounting to a large but indefinite number
From this reading But she had decided at last, and having done so, she could only wonder why it had taken her so many weeks to reach a decision.
the state of being a married couple voluntarily joined for life (or until divorce)
From this reading She was convinced, beyond possibility of doubt, that her regard could not be called love and she had determined with herself, as she was bound to do, that to marry under such circumstances would be no marriage in any seemly interpretation of the contract.
take in marriage
From this reading She was convinced, beyond possibility of doubt, that her regard could not be called love and she had determined with herself, as she was bound to do, that to marry under such circumstances would be no marriage in any seemly interpretation of the contract.
used to say something is possible, or to give permission
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
come together
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
involving the mind or an intellectual process
From this reading To her direct instincts delay had been a suffering and produced a condition of mental bad health; but it was not for her own sake that she had delayed, and she knew now that her hesitation had been no kindness to Johnny, though endured largely out of affection for him.
a communication (usually brief) that is written or spoken or signaled
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
not of long duration; having just (or relatively recently) come into being or been made or acquired or discovered
From this reading NEW BRIDGE On New Bridge, over Dart, stood Dinah with the sun warm upon her face, while a first butterfly hovered on the golden broom at water's edge.
not any; not one
From this reading To her direct instincts delay had been a suffering and produced a condition of mental bad health; but it was not for her own sake that she had delayed, and she knew now that her hesitation had been no kindness to Johnny, though endured largely out of affection for him.
used to make a word, phrase, or sentence negative
From this reading To her direct instincts delay had been a suffering and produced a condition of mental bad health; but it was not for her own sake that she had delayed, and she knew now that her hesitation had been no kindness to Johnny, though endured largely out of affection for him.
in the historical present; at this point in the narration of a series of past events
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
belonging to, or connected with, somebody or something
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
touching and supported by a surface
From this reading NEW BRIDGE On New Bridge, over Dart, stood Dinah with the sun warm upon her face, while a first butterfly hovered on the golden broom at water's edge.
and nothing more
From this reading But she had decided at last, and having done so, she could only wonder why it had taken her so many weeks to reach a decision.
not allowed to continue to bat or run
From this reading To her direct instincts delay had been a suffering and produced a condition of mental bad health; but it was not for her own sake that she had delayed, and she knew now that her hesitation had been no kindness to Johnny, though endured largely out of affection for him.
overprepositionUS /ˈoʊvər/
above and across; more than
From this reading NEW BRIDGE On New Bridge, over Dart, stood Dinah with the sun warm upon her face, while a first butterfly hovered on the golden broom at water's edge.
have ownership or possession of
From this reading To her direct instincts delay had been a suffering and produced a condition of mental bad health; but it was not for her own sake that she had delayed, and she knew now that her hesitation had been no kindness to Johnny, though endured largely out of affection for him.
a future prospect or potential
From this reading She was convinced, beyond possibility of doubt, that her regard could not be called love and she had determined with herself, as she was bound to do, that to marry under such circumstances would be no marriage in any seemly interpretation of the contract.
past form of “produce” — bring forth or yield
From this reading To her direct instincts delay had been a suffering and produced a condition of mental bad health; but it was not for her own sake that she had delayed, and she knew now that her hesitation had been no kindness to Johnny, though endured largely out of affection for him.
reach a destination, either real or abstract
From this reading But she had decided at last, and having done so, she could only wonder why it had taken her so many weeks to reach a decision.
(usually preceded by “in”) a detail or point
From this reading She was convinced, beyond possibility of doubt, that her regard could not be called love and she had determined with herself, as she was bound to do, that to marry under such circumstances would be no marriage in any seemly interpretation of the contract.
a reason for wanting something done
From this reading To her direct instincts delay had been a suffering and produced a condition of mental bad health; but it was not for her own sake that she had delayed, and she knew now that her hesitation had been no kindness to Johnny, though endured largely out of affection for him.
seemlyadjective
according with custom or propriety
From this reading She was convinced, beyond possibility of doubt, that her regard could not be called love and she had determined with herself, as she was bound to do, that to marry under such circumstances would be no marriage in any seemly interpretation of the contract.
100 senti equal 1 kroon in Estonia
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
a woman, girl, or female animal already mentioned, as the subject
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
a female person who has the same parents as another person
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
for that reason; with the result that
From this reading But she had decided at last, and having done so, she could only wonder why it had taken her so many weeks to reach a decision.
speculatedverbUS /ˈspekjəleɪtɪd/
past form of “speculate” — to believe especially on uncertain or tentative grounds
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
Maintained an upright posture.
From this reading NEW BRIDGE On New Bridge, over Dart, stood Dinah with the sun warm upon her face, while a first butterfly hovered on the golden broom at water's edge.
of the kind already mentioned
From this reading She was convinced, beyond possibility of doubt, that her regard could not be called love and she had determined with herself, as she was bound to do, that to marry under such circumstances would be no marriage in any seemly interpretation of the contract.
a state of acute pain
From this reading To her direct instincts delay had been a suffering and produced a condition of mental bad health; but it was not for her own sake that she had delayed, and she knew now that her hesitation had been no kindness to Johnny, though endured largely out of affection for him.
the star that is the source of light and heat for the planets in the solar system
From this reading NEW BRIDGE On New Bridge, over Dart, stood Dinah with the sun warm upon her face, while a first butterfly hovered on the golden broom at water's edge.
takenadjectiveUS /ˈteɪkən/
understood in a certain way; made sense of
From this reading But she had decided at last, and having done so, she could only wonder why it had taken her so many weeks to reach a decision.
used to introduce what somebody said, thought, or felt
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
used before a noun that is already known, already mentioned, or the only one of its kind
From this reading NEW BRIDGE On New Bridge, over Dart, stood Dinah with the sun warm upon her face, while a first butterfly hovered on the golden broom at water's edge.
in spite of the fact that
From this reading To her direct instincts delay had been a suffering and produced a condition of mental bad health; but it was not for her own sake that she had delayed, and she knew now that her hesitation had been no kindness to Johnny, though endured largely out of affection for him.
used before the base form of a verb to make the infinitive
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
uglinessnounUS /ˈʌɡlinəs/
qualities of appearance that do not give pleasure to the senses
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
underprepositionUS /ˈʌndər/
below or beneath something; less than
From this reading She was convinced, beyond possibility of doubt, that her regard could not be called love and she had determined with herself, as she was bound to do, that to marry under such circumstances would be no marriage in any seemly interpretation of the contract.
uponprepositionUS /əˈpɑːn/
a formal word for “on”
From this reading NEW BRIDGE On New Bridge, over Dart, stood Dinah with the sun warm upon her face, while a first butterfly hovered on the golden broom at water's edge.
past form of “wait” — stay in one place and anticipate or expect something
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
having or producing a comfortable and agreeable degree of heat or imparting or maintaining heat
From this reading NEW BRIDGE On New Bridge, over Dart, stood Dinah with the sun warm upon her face, while a first butterfly hovered on the golden broom at water's edge.
wasauxiliary verbUS /wɑːz/
the past form of “be” used with I, he, she, it, or a singular noun
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
water'snounUS /ˈwɔːtərz/
possessive form of “water” — binary compound that occurs at room temperature as a clear colorless odorless tasteless liquid; freezes into ice below 0 degrees centigrade and boils above 100 degrees centigrade; widely used as a solvent
From this reading NEW BRIDGE On New Bridge, over Dart, stood Dinah with the sun warm upon her face, while a first butterfly hovered on the golden broom at water's edge.
plural of “week” — any period of seven consecutive days
From this reading But she had decided at last, and having done so, she could only wonder why it had taken her so many weeks to reach a decision.
used to ask for information about something
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
whileconjunctionUS /waɪl/
during the time that
From this reading NEW BRIDGE On New Bridge, over Dart, stood Dinah with the sun warm upon her face, while a first butterfly hovered on the golden broom at water's edge.
the cause or intention underlying an action or situation, especially in the phrase “the whys and wherefores”
From this reading But she had decided at last, and having done so, she could only wonder why it had taken her so many weeks to reach a decision.
in the company of; together with
From this reading NEW BRIDGE On New Bridge, over Dart, stood Dinah with the sun warm upon her face, while a first butterfly hovered on the golden broom at water's edge.
the feeling aroused by something strange and surprising
From this reading But she had decided at last, and having done so, she could only wonder why it had taken her so many weeks to reach a decision.
used for something imagined, polite, or habitual in the past
From this reading She had sent a message to Johnny by his sister that she would meet him here, and now, while she waited, she speculated on the difference between the beauty of the May day and the ugliness of what she was about to do.
