Aunt Maria had never affected fashions beyond a certain epoch, partly from economy, partly from a certain sense of injury.
She had said to herself that she was old, she had been passed by; she would dress as one who had.

Now her sentiments underwent a curious change.

The possibility occurred to her that Harry might ask her to take her departed sister's place.

She was older than that sister, much older than he, but she looked in her glass and suddenly her passed youth seemed to look forth upon her.

The revival of hopes sometimes serves as a tonic.