Page:Alice Lauder.pdf/85

‘Is this the way the model family bring up their nieces?’

“I looked at Mrs. Granby. She was calm and benign as usual, and with an indulgent smile merely said in a solemn tone of voice, as if she were reading the Church Service, with a majestic wave of her large white hand—

“‘Miss Lauder, allow me to introduce my niece to you—Mrs. Austin; and also, Miss Lauder—Captain Swan.’

“I half expected to hear some one say, ‘Who giveth this woman?’ but I collected my thoughts and looked attentively at the beauty, for I knew Clare would never rest till I had given her a catalogue raisonné of all the family. At the first glance I merely saw a large high-coloured young woman; at the second I clearly made out she was handsome; at the third I realized that it was a Greek goddess—Clytie, perhaps—worshipping Apollo in white cambric and a tennis racquet. I wish I could make a picture of her for you, but it is not easy to do justice to her faulty, over-coloured, yet fascinating individuality. She is of a good size, as I before observed, strongly and broadly made. Her figure is of stately proportions, but she waddles—yes, waddles—when she moves, and her hands and feet are large and stupid-looking. She has