quite dull and mopey. They arrived about five in the
afternoon, and came trooping into the hall, where tea was waiting. Two
girls and three men, and Vere herself, prettier than ever, but with just
the old, aggravating, condescending way.

"Hallo, Babs! Is that you transformed into a young lady in long
dresses, and your hair done up? You dear, fat thing, how ridiculous you
look!" she cried, holding me out at arm's length, and laughing as if it
were the funniest joke in the world, while those three strange men stood
by staring, and I grew magenta with embarrassment.

One of the men was tall and handsome, with a long, narrow face, and
small, narrow eyes; he laughed with her, and I hated him for it, and for
having so little sympathy with a poor girl's feelings. Another was
small, with a strong, square-set figure, and he looked sorry for me; and
the third looked on the floor, and frowned as if something had hurt his
feelings. He was the oldest and gravest-looking of the three, and I
knew before he had been ten minutes in the room that he adored Vere with
his heart, and disapproved of her with his conscience, and was miserable
every time she did or said a thoughtless thing.

"I told you I had a smaller sister at home--here she is! Rather bigger
than I expected, but not much changed in other respects. Don't be shy,
Babs! Shake hands nicely, and be friends!" Vere cried laughingly,
taking me by the shoulders and pushing me gently towards where the men
stood; but, just as I was fuming with rage at being treated as if I were
two, father came suddenly from behind, and said in his most grand
seigneur manner--

"Allow me, Vere! If an introduction is made at all, it is best to make
it properly. Captain Grantly, Mr Nash, Mr Carstairs, I have the
honour of introducing you to my second daughter, Miss Una Sackville."

The change of expression on the men's faces was comical to behold.
Captain Grantly, the narrow-faced one, bowed as if I had been the Queen,
and the nice little man smiled at me as if he were pleased--he was Mr
Nash, and poor Mr Carstairs flushed as if he had been snubbed himself;
I was quite sorry for him.

The girls were very lively and bright, spoke in loud voices, and behaved
as if they had lived in the house all their lives, which is supposed to
be good manners nowadays. Margot Sanders is tall and fair, and wears
eye-glasses, and Mary Eversley, who is "Lady Mary," would have been
considered very unlady