She had felt a good deal of irritation toward Ethie for some time past.

In fact, ever since Richard became governor, she had blamed her niece for running away from the honor which might have been hers.

As aunt to the governor's lady, she, too, would have come in for a share of the eclat; and so, as she smoothed out the folds of her stone-colored merino, she felt as if she had been sorely aggrieved by that thin, white-faced woman, who really did not greatly resemble the rosy, bright-faced Ethelyn to whom Frank Van Buren had once talked love among the Chicopee hills.
"No, I don't believe I should have known you," Mrs.Van Buren continued.
"What have you been about to fade you so ?" Few women like to hear that they have faded, even if they know it to be true, and Ethie's cheek flushed a little as she asked, with a smile, "Am I really such a fright ?" "Why, no, not a fright! No one with the Bigelow features can ever be that.

But you are changed; and so I am sure Richard would think.

He liked beautiful girls.