But she was rapidly learning that he had other less heroically attractive sides.

No man who has been consistently spoiled and made much of by a couple of women is likely to escape developing a certain amount of selfishness, and Nan had already discovered that Roger was somewhat inclined to play the autocrat.

As he grew accustomed to her presence in the house he settled down more or less tranquilly into the normal ways of existence, and sometimes, when things went awry, he would lose his temper pretty badly, as is the natural way of man.
Unfortunately, Nan's honest endeavours to get on better terms with her future mother-in-law met with no success.

Lady Gertrude had presented an imperturbably polite and hostile front almost from the moment of the girl's arrival at the Hall.

Even at dinner the first evening, she had cast a disapproving eye upon Nan's frock--a diaphanous little garment in black: with veiled gleams of hyacinth and gold beneath the surface and apparently sustained about its wearer by a thread of the same glistening hyacinth and gold across each slender shoulder.
With the quickness of a squirrel Isobel Carson, demurely garbed as befitted a poor relative, noted the disapprobation conveyed by Lady Gertrude's sweeping glance.
"I suppose that's what they're wearing now in town ?" she asked conversationally of Nan across the table.
Roger looked up and seeing the young, privet-white throat and shoulders which gleamed above the black, smiled contentedly.
"It's jolly pretty, isn't it ?" he rejoined, innocently unaware that any intention lurked behind his cousin's query.
"It might be--if there were more of it," said Lady Gertrude icily.