This Betty was in her way remarkable, both in body and mind.

Fair, splendidly formed, strong, with wide, bold, blue eyes and ripe red lips, such was the fashion of her.

In speech she was careless and vigorous.

Fond of the society of men, and fonder still of their admiration, for she was romantic and vain, Betty at the age of five-and-twenty was yet an honest girl, and well able to take care of herself, as more than one of her admirers had discovered.

Although her position was humble, at heart she was very proud of her lineage, ambitious also, her great desire being to raise herself by marriage back to the station from which her father's folly had cast her down--no easy business for one who passed as a waiting-woman and was without fortune.
For the rest, she loved and admired her cousin Margaret more than any one on earth, while Peter she liked and respected, none the less perhaps because, try as she would--and, being nettled, she did try hard enough--her beauty and other charms left him quite unmoved.
In answer to Margaret's question she laughed and answered: "Of course.