Rowland, indeed, had not yet seen her smile, but something assured him that her rigid gravity had a radiant counterpart.

She wore a scanty white dress, and had a nameless rustic air which would have led one to speak of her less as a young lady than as a young woman.

She was evidently a girl of a great personal force, but she lacked pliancy.

She was hemming a kitchen towel with the aid of a large steel thimble.

She bent her serious eyes at last on her work again, and let Rowland explain himself.
"I have become suddenly so very intimate with your son," he said at last, addressing himself to Mrs.Hudson, "that it seems just I should make your acquaintance." "Very just," murmured the poor lady, and after a moment's hesitation was on the point of adding something more; but Mr.Striker here interposed, after a prefatory clearance of the throat.
"I should like to take the liberty," he said, "of addressing you a simple question.