Mrs.Cartwright was large, rather fat, and placid, but he felt the house and all it stood for were hers by rightful inheritance.

Her son and daughter were not like that.

Lister thought they had cultivated their well-bred serenity and by doing so had cultivated out some virile qualities of human nature.

Grace Hyslop had beauty, but not much charm; Lister thought her cold, and imagined her prejudices were strong and conventional.

Mortimer's talk and manners were colorlessly correct.