She had the air of an educated person; her dress, which was plain and decent in the same rather depressing way as the appointment of her room, put it beyond doubt that she spent her days in some one of the manifold kinds of teaching; a roll upon her lap plainly consisted of music.

She could not lay claim to good looks, save in the sense that her features were impressed with agreeable womanliness; the smile which followed speedily upon her expression of surprise when Mrs.Ormonde appeared, was natural, homely, and sweet.

She threw the roll away, and sprang up with a joyous exclamation: 'To think that you should come just on this day and at this time, Mrs.
Ormonde! It's just by chance that I'm at home.

I've only this moment come back from Notting Hill, where I found a pupil too unwell to have her lesson.

And in half an hour I have to go to St.John's Wood.