CHAPTER II.
Before I tell you about Mr.Gray, I think I ought to make you understand something more of what we did all day long at Hanbury Court.

There were five of us at the time of which I am speaking, all young women of good descent, and allied (however distantly) to people of rank.

When we were not with my lady, Mrs.Medlicott looked after us; a gentle little woman, who had been companion to my lady for many years, and was indeed, I have been told, some kind of relation to her.

Mrs.Medlicott's parents had lived in Germany, and the consequence was, she spoke English with a very foreign accent.

Another consequence was, that she excelled in all manner of needlework, such as is not known even by name in these days.