And this was not all: the riming might have passed unperceived by others too, but for the accompanying tendency to rhythm as well.

Nor was this by any means all yet: there was in her a great leaning to poetic utterance generally, and that arising from a poetic habit of thought.

She had in her everything essential to the making of a poetess; yet of the whole she was profoundly ignorant; and had any one sought to develop the general gift, I believe all would have shrunk back into her being.
The laird rose and offered his arm to Lady Joan.

Lord Mergwain gave a grunt, and looked only a little pleased at the news: no discomfort or suffering, mental or spiritual, made him indifferent to luncheon or dinner--for after each came the bottle; but the claret had not been brought to the drawing-room as he had requested! When they reached the kitchen, he looked first eagerly, then uneasily round him: no bottle, quart or magnum was to be seen! A cloud gathered, lowering and heavy, on the face of the toper.

The laird saw it, remembered that, in his anxiety to amuse him, he had forgotten his dearest delight, and vanished in the region behind.
Mrs.Warlock, according to her custom, was already seated at the head of the table.