She was interested in him, however, for ever since she had come to live with her widowed brother, the young people of the neighbourhood had formed one of the great interests of her life; and it was with every intention of giving a kindly welcome to the new-comers, that she set out on the next day to call on Lady Haredale. Within the wrought-iron gates of Cleverley Hall, a short straight drive led up to the house, defended by high cypress hedges, cut at intervals into turrets and pinnacles, troublesome to keep in order, and sombre and peculiar in effect. Miss Riddell wondered what the fashionable family would think of them. She was shown into a long drawing-room, where a tall slim figure rose to receive her, and three tall children started up from various parts of the room. Lady Haredale was girlishly slight and graceful. She seemed to have given her daughters their delicate outlines and pale soft colouring, neither dark nor fair; but as Miss Riddell watched the manner and expression of the four, it seemed to her that the mother's was much the simpler, and less affected; while she looked almost as youthful, and much more capable of enjoyment than her daughters. She was dressed in a shabby but becoming velvet gown, which told no tale of extravagance or of undue fashion. "You know, Miss Riddell," she said presently, in a sweet cheerful voice, "we are supposed to come here to be economical. This is our retreat. These children are getting too big to be dragged about on the continent. Aren't they great girls? I have had them always with me. Now we ought to shut them up in the school-room." "Have they a governess?" asked Miss Riddell. "Why--not at present. You see there wasn't money enough both for education and frocks--and I'm afraid I chose frocks," said Lady Haredale, with a voice and smile that almost made Miss Riddell feel that frocks were preferable to education. "They have some time before them," she said. "Poor little penniless things," said Lady Haredale, with a light laugh. "They haven't any time to waste. This creature--come here, Una--is really fifteen." "I hope we shall soon be good friends," said Miss Riddell, kindly. "Oh, thanks, you're very good, I'm sure," said Una, with a cool level stare out of her big eyes and an indifferent drawl in her voice. "They want some friends," said Lady Haredale. "But this is not my eldest. There's Amethyst. Her aunt has brought her up, and kept her always at school. But now we're going to have her back. She's a very pretty child it seems to me." "Is she coming to you soon?" asked Miss Riddell.