n would look up from
his everlasting book, and even the grave governess relax into a smile.
Since she had learnt to smile, it became more and more apparent how
very handsome Miss Silver was. "Handsome" is, I think, the fittest
word for her; that correctness of form and colour which attracts the
eye chiefly, and perhaps the eye of men rather than of women;--at
least, Mrs. Halifax could never be brought to see it. But then her
peculiar taste was for slender, small brunettes, like Grace Oldtower;
whereas Miss Silver was large and fair.

Fair, in every sense, most decidedly. And now that she evidently began
to pay a little more attention to her dress and her looks, we found out
that she was also young.

"Only twenty-one to-day, Guy says," I remarked one day to Ursula.

"How did Guy know it?"

"I believe he discovered the wonderful secret from Maud."

"Maud and her brother Guy have grown wonderful friends since his
illness. Do you not think so?"

"Yes, I found the two of them--and even Miss Silver--as merry as
possible, when I came into the study this morning."

"Did you?" said the mother, with an involuntary glance at the group
opposite.

There was nothing particular to observe. They all sat in most harmless
quietude, Edwin reading, Maud at his feet, playing with the cat, Miss
Silver busy at a piece of that delicate muslin-work with which young
women then used to ornament their gowns. Guy had been drawing a
pattern from it, and now leant back upon his sofa, shading off the fire
with his hand, and from behind it gazing, as I had often seen him gaze
lately, with a curious intentness--at the young governess.

"Guy," said his mother (and Guy started), "what were you thinking
about?"

"Oh, nothing; that is--" here, by some accident, Miss Silver quitted
the room. "Mother, come over here, I want your opinion. There, sit
down--though it's nothing of the least importance."

Nevertheless, it was with some hesitation that he brought out the
mighty question, namely, that it was Miss Silver's birthday to-day;
that he thought we ought to remember it, and give her some trifle as a
present.

"And I was considering this large Flora I ordered from London,--she
would like it extremely: she is so fond of botany."

"What do you know about botany?" said Edwin, sharply and rather
irrelevantly as it seemed, till I remembered how he plumed himself upon
his knowledge of this science, and how he had persisted in taking Maud,