Jane and Prudence

Should we have something to eat before we go, do you think?" Jane asked. ‘I believe refreshments are provided but they may not be till rather late.’ 

‘Perhaps a glass of sherry and a biscuit?’ suggested Prudence hopefully. “One doesn’t really want much to eat...’ but how we need a drink, she continued to herself; the idea of facing thy whist drive without one was quite terrifying. 

‘Oh, yes, that would be the thing,’ said Jane quickly, with he head bent. She found herself quite unable to look at Prudence, whose eyelids were startlingly and embarrassingly green, glistening with some greasy preparation which had little flecks of silver in it. Was this what one had to do nowadays when one was unmarried? she wondered. What hard work it must kx, always remembering to add these little touches; there was something primitive about it, like the young African smearing himself with red cam-wood before he went courting. The odd and rather irritating thing about it was, though, that Nicholas was gazing at Prudence with admiration; it was quite noticeable. So it really did work. Jane studied her own face in the looking glass above the sideboard and it looked to her just the same as when Nicholas used to gaze at it with admiration. Would he look at her with renewed interest if she had green eyelids? she wondered