Annie was the elder of the girls, and had married young; Barbara, the younger was now nineteen, and Richard the eldest--but we shall come to him hereafter.
In this sitting-room, on a chilly evening, early in May, a few days subsequent to that which had witnessed the visit of Mr.Carlyle to the Earl of Mount Severn, sat Mrs.Hare, a pale, delicate woman, buried in shawls and cushions: but the day had been warm.

At the window sat a pretty girl, very fair, with blue eyes, light hair, a bright complexion, and small aquiline features.

She was listlessly turning over the leaves of a book.
"Barbara, I am sure it must be tea-time now." "The time seems to move slowly with you, mamma.

It is scarcely a quarter of an hour since I told you it was but ten minutes past six." "I am so thirsty!" announced the poor invalid.

"Do go and look at the clock again, Barbara." Barbara Hare rose with a gesture of impatience, not suppressed, opened the door, and glanced at the large clock in the hall.