And when a maid in a prim white cap opened the door, I had lost my tongue, and stood staring at her till she smiled encouragingly, as though she thought I might have come to ask her out for a walk.
"I've come to see Carette--Ma'm'zelle Le Marchant, I mean," I stammered, very red and awkward.
"If you'll come in, I'll tell Miss Mauger," she smiled; and I stepped inside, and was shown into one of the front rooms with the very straight curtains.

The room inside was very stiff and straight also.

It occurred to me that if all the other rooms were like it Carette must have found them a very great change from Brecqhou.

Perhaps it was living among these things that had such an effect upon her that she could not shake it off when she came home for the holidays.

The stiff, straight chairs offered me no invitation to be seated, and I stood waiting in the middle of the room.
Then the door opened, and a little elderly lady came in, and saluted me very formally with a curtsey bow which rather upset me, for no one had ever done such a thing to me before.