You know we saw Cedric when he was staying at Fettercairn ?" Malcolm's forced rigidity relaxed.
"Oh, yes, Cedric told me that in one of his letters." "The Wallaces are nice people, and in our cramped quarters the Hall was rather a find.

Sir Richard and my husband took to each other, and Lady Wallace and I followed suit." "That must have been a pleasant sort of arrangement," observed Malcolm.
"I liked the girls too, they were so honestly, frankly ugly; and they were so good-natured, and so delightfully aware of their shortcomings, that they were quite refreshing.

Fancy Martha, the eldest girl, saying to me seriously, 'Dick is the only one who takes after mother and father; he is really nice-looking, you know, but Ailie and I are a couple of squat little toads.

Now, please don't laugh, Mrs.Godfrey,' she went on, 'for we are very fond of toads, and they have such bright, projecting eyes.' What on earth could I say! for indeed poor Martha is almost grotesque-looking, and yet one can't help loving her.

I know I had a fit of laughing, and both of them laughed with me." "Cedric always said they were good sort of girls." "Cedric--oh, he is their hero.