Rumzan has been with your uncle ten years, so you are fortunate.

If the Major had gone home instead of me, and if you had had an entirely fresh establishment of servants to look after, the case would have been different; as it is, you will have no trouble that way." "Then what are my duties to be, uncle ?" "Your chief duties, my dear, are to look pleasant, which will evidently be no trouble to you; to amuse me and keep me in a good temper as far as possible; to keep on as good terms as may be with the other ladies of the station; and, what will perhaps be the most difficult part of your work, to snub and keep in order the young officers of our own and other corps." Isobel laughed.

"That doesn't sound a very difficult programme, uncle, except the last item; I have already had a little experience that way, haven't I, Doctor?
I hope I shall have the benefit of your assistance in the future, as I had aboard the ship." "I will do my best," the Doctor said grimly; "but the British subaltern is pretty well impervious to snubs; he belongs to the pachydermatous family of animals; his armor of self conceit renders him invulnerable against the milder forms of raillery.

However, I think you can be trusted to hold your own with him, Miss Hannay, without much assistance from the Major or myself.

Your real difficulty will lie rather in your struggle against the united female forces of the station." "But why shall I have to struggle with them ?" Isobel asked, in surprise, while her uncle broke into a laugh.
"Don't frighten her, Doctor." "She is not so easily frightened, Major; it is just as well that she should be prepared.