le 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, an