The trilling Italian love-songs, learnt some fifty years ago during a two years' residence in Florence, had always been her pride and joy.

So she warmly seconded her niece's pleadings, and the momentous decision was come to that James Anderton should be approached upon the subject.

If the child learned Greek--from a professor--and could pick up a few of Roberta's songs as an accomplishment, she might do well enough--and a governess in the house, in spite of the money paid by Mr.Anderton to keep her, was a continual gall and worry to them.
Halcyone knew very little about her stepfather.

She was aware that he had married her mother when she was a very poor and sorrowful young widow, that she had had two stepsisters and a brother very close together, and then that the pretty mother had died.

There was evidently something so sad connected with the whole story that Priscilla never cared much to talk about it.