On the occasion of her preceding visit she had reminded herself that she was then seventy-five years old, and had sworn to herself that she would come to London no more; but here she was again in London, having justified the journey to herself on the plea that there were circumstances in Alice's engagement which made it desirable that she should for a while be near her niece.

Her niece, as she thought, was hardly managing her own affairs discreetly.
"Well, aunt," said Alice, as the old lady walked into the drawing-room one morning at eleven o'clock.

Alice always called Lady Macleod her aunt, though, as has been before explained, there was no such close connexion between them.

During Lady Macleod's sojourn in London these morning visits were made almost every day.

Alice never denied herself, and even made a point of remaining at home to receive them unless she had previously explained that she would be out; but I am not prepared to say that they were, of their own nature, agreeable to her.
"Would you mind shutting the window, my dear ?" said Lady Macleod, seating herself stiffly on one of the small ugly green chairs.