People said she was like the family; I never could see it, and always thought the likeness due to their imagination.  She took one by surprise.  She was a tall, well-made woman, with a narrow waist, and a proud, peculiarly upright bearing, though quick, almost sharp in all her movements, and especially with her eyes.  Those eyes, I confess, always startled me.  They were clear, bright blue, well opened eyes—­honest eyes one would have called them—­only they appeared to be always searching about, and darting at one when one least expected it.  The red and white of the face too always had a clear hard look, like the eyes; the teeth projected a little, and were so very, very white, that they always seemed to me to flash like the eyes; and if ever she smiled, it was as much as to say, “I don’t believe you.”  Her nose had an amount of hook, too, that always gave me the feeling of having a wild hawk in the room with me.  Jaquetta used to call her a panther of the wilderness, but to my mind there was none of the purring cattish tenderness of the panther.  However, that might be only because she viewed us as her natural enemies, and was always on her guard against us, though I do not well know why; I am sure we only wanted to know the truth and do justice, and Fulk was so convinced that she would prove her case, and that there was no help for it, that at the end of hearing Mr. Eagles question her, he said, “Well, the matter must be tried in due time, but since we are brothers and sisters, let us be friendly,” and he held out his hand to her.  Mr. Eagles, who told me, said he could have beaten him for the imprudent admission, only he did look so generous and sweet and sad; and Lady Hester drew herself up doubtfully and proudly, as if she could hardly bear to own such a brother, but she did take his hand, coldly though, and saying, “Let me see my father.”

He was obliged to tell her that this was impossible.  I doubt whether she ever believed him—­at least she used to gaze at him with her determined eyes, as if she meant to abash him out of falsehood, and she sharply questioned every one about Lord Trevorsham’s state.

The determination to be friendly made my brother offer to take her to us.  She consented, but not very readily, and I am afraid we were needlessly cold and dry; but we were taken by surprise when my brother brought her into the sitting-room.  It was not very easy to welcome the woman who was going to turn us all out, and under such a stigma; and she—­she could hardly be expected to look complacently at the interlopers who had her place, and the title she had a right to.

She put us through her hard catechism about my dear father’s state, and said at last that she should like to see Lord Torwood.

Taken by surprise, we looked and signed towards him whom that name had always meant.  He smiled a little and said, “Little Alured!  But, remember, I am bound to concede nothing till judicial minds are convinced.  The parties concerned cannot judge.  Can you venture to have Baby down, Ursula?”