She dined _tete-a-tete_ with Mary, except on those rare occasions when there were visitors--the Vicar and his wife, or some wandering star from other worlds Mary lived in profound awe of her grandmother, but was of far too frank a nature to be able to adapt her speech or her manners to her ladyship's idea of feminine perfection.

She was silent and shy under those falcon eyes; but she was still the same Mary, the girl to whom pretence or simulation of any kind was impossible.
Letters came almost every day from Kirkbank Castle, letters from Lesbia describing the bright gay life she was living at that hospitable abode, the excursions, the rides, the picnic luncheons after the morning's sport, the dinner parties, the dances.
'It is the most delightful house you can imagine,' wrote Lesbia; 'and Lady Kirkbank is an admirable hostess.

I have quite forgiven her for wearing false eyebrows; for after all, you know, one must _have_ eyebrows; they are a necessity; but why does she not have the two arches alike?
They are _never_ a pair, and I really think that French maid of hers does it on purpose.
'By-the-bye, Lady Kirkbank is going to write to you to beseech you to let me go to Cannes and Monte Carlo with her.

Sir George insists upon it.

He says they both like young society, and will be horribly vexed if I refuse to go with them.