He was a spare, unintelligent, henpecked, elderly man, and she, a stout, forbidding-looking lady.

She had prominent, shortsighted eyes, and she used longhandled glasses; she had also three chins, and did not resemble the Guiscards in any way, except for her mouth and her haughty bearing.
Zara's manner was that of an empress graciously receiving foreigners in a private audience! The guests now arrived in quick succession.

Lord Charles and his son, "Young Billy," then Tristram and his sisters, and Jimmy Danvers, and, lastly, the Duke and Lady Ethelrida.
They were all such citizens of the world there was no awkwardness, and the old Duke had kissed his fair, prospective niece's hand when he had been presented, and had said that some day he should claim the privilege of an old man and kiss her cheek.

And Zara had smiled for an instant, overcome by his charm, and so she had put her fingers on his arm, and they had gone down to dinner; and now they were talking suavely.
Francis Markrute had a theory that certain human beings are born with moral antennae--a sort of extra combination beyond the natural of the senses of sight, smell, hearing and understanding--which made them apprehend situations and people even when these chanced to be of a hitherto unknown race or habit.

Zara was among those whose antennae were highly developed.