Never had it lessened, never, even when she was most discouraged, had she failed to summon her strength and her sweetness for this beatific end to the day.

For Archibald was more than a son to her.

As he grew older their characters became more perfectly adjusted, and the rare bond of a deep mental sympathy held them together.

Fanny loved her as a spoiled child loves the dispenser of its happiness; but in Archibald's devotion there was something of the worship of a man for an ideal.
Flushed and hungry, the boy came in, and after kissing her hurriedly, ran off to wash his face and hands before dinner.

When he came back the table was laid, with a bunch of lilacs in a cut glass vase over the darned spot in the tablecloth, and Miss Polly was bringing in the old-fashioned soup tureen, which had belonged to Gabriella's maternal grandmother.
"If you don't sit right straight down everything will be cold," said Miss Polly severely, for this was her customary manner of announcing dinner.