She loved that infant, and from the first it loved her and her only, while to the father it was indifferent, and at times antagonistic.
From the cradle Isobel showed herself to be an individual of character.
Even as a little girl she knew what she wanted and formed her own opinions quite independently of those of others.

Moreover, in a certain way she was a good-looking child, but of a stamp totally different from that of either of her parents.

Her eyes were not restless and prominent, like her father's, or dark and plaintive, like her mother's, but large, grey and steady, with long curved lashes.

In fact, they were fine, but it was her only beauty, since the brow above them was almost too pronounced for that of a woman, the mouth was a little large, and the nose somewhat irregular.

Her hair, too, though long and thick, was straight and rather light-coloured.