From this rather pompous setting her fair hair, small person, and pinched pale face looked out perhaps with greater dignity than they could have achieved unadorned.

Her chilliness, her small self-indulgences, including an inordinate love of cakes and all sweet things, were the standing joke of the twins when they discussed the family freely behind the closed doors of the 'Den.' But no one disliked Alice Gaddesden, though it was hard to be actively fond of her.

She and her husband were quite good friends; but they were no longer of any real importance to each other.

He was a good deal older than she; and was often away from London on 'war work' in the Midlands.

On these occasions Alice generally invited herself to Mannering.