Isabel, looking very white and careworn, joined them as he spoke, unable to withdraw his eyes from the countenance which filled so large a portion of his meditative hours, but the nurse met his eyes calmly and turned and bowed to Aunt Anne and Isabel in turn, the former lady seeming quite taken back by the attendant's appearance. "I don't like the look of her at all, Isabel, my dear," she said, as soon as they were alone. "I expected she would look like a nurse, not be a tall body like that." "She seemed very nice, Aunt, dear," said Isabel quietly, "and of course she will be a very skillful nurse. I thought she looked very tired, but her face seemed to me quite beautiful." "Good-looking, not beautiful, my dear, and that's it. I always made a point of never having good-looking servants in the house, especially as there are young men about." "Aunt!" "Oh, yes, you may say `Aunt,' my dear, but you do not understand these things. Good-looking servants always know it, and give themselves airs." "But this lady is not a servant, Aunt." "Don't talk nonsense, Isabel," said Aunt Anne tartly. "She is a servant, and she is not a lady. I can't help it, my dear; I don't like her at all, and I hope she will prove to be so dissatisfied, when she finds what she has to do, that she will want to go back to town at once. There's too much of the fine madam about her for me." "Sir Denton would not have sent down a person who was not quite suitable, Aunt," said Isabel gravely. "If she nurses poor papa well that is all we want." "Yes, my dear, but will she? There, I can't help it; I must speak plainly. I am the least suspicious woman in the world, but I do not like a surprise like this being sprung upon us." "A surprise, Aunt?" "Yes. Why did not Neil tell us what sort of a person this woman was going to be. He knows her, of course. You heard him call her by name." "Aunt, dear, of what are you thinking?" cried Isabel wonderingly, and giving her aunt a strangely perplexed look. "Oh, nothing, my dear. There, I suppose I must see to her having some tea when she comes down. She will have her meals with the servants of course." "Has Nurse Elisia come down yet?" said Neil, entering quickly. "No, my dear," said Aunt Anne, pinching her lips together. "You have given orders for refreshments to be brought up to her?" "Indeed no, my dear. I was just going to ring and tell them to get something ready in the servants' hall." Neil's countenance changed. "No, no," he said harshly. "My dear Neil, she cannot have her meals with us." "I cannot see why not," he replied sternly. "But she will not wish to leave her patient. Have one of the dressing rooms set apart entirely for her use, and all her meals can be taken to her upstairs." Isabel looked at her brother in surprise, his manner seemed so changed.