This little girl was his niece, the child of his elder brother, who had died three years ago.
The poorly furnished room and her own attire proved that Mrs.Hilliard had but narrow resources in her widowhood.

Nor did she appear a woman of much courage; tears had thinned her cheeks, and her delicate hands had suffered noticeably from unwonted household work.
Hilliard remarked something unusual in her behaviour this evening.

She was restless, and kept regarding him askance, as if in apprehension.

A letter from her, in which she merely said she wished to speak to him, had summoned him hither from Dudley.

As a rule, they saw each other but once a month.
"No bad news, I hope!" he remarked aside to her, as he took his place at the table.
"Oh, no.