What an advantage it would be to Erminia to have such a girl for a friend and companion! It was rather strange that, having this thought, and having been struck, as I said, with Maggie's appearance while she stood in the door-way (and I may add that this impression of her unobtrusive beauty had been deepened by several succeeding interviews), he should reply as he did to Erminia's remark, on first seeing Maggie after her return from France.
"How lovely Maggie is growing! Why, I had no idea she would ever turn out pretty.

Sweet-looking she always was; but now her style of beauty makes her positively distinguished.

Frank! speak! is not she beautiful ?" "Do you think so ?" answered he, with a kind of lazy indifference, exceedingly gratifying to his father, who was listening with some eagerness to his answer.

That day, after dinner, Mr.Buxton began to ask his opinion of Erminia's appearance.
Frank answered at once: "She is a dazzling little creature.

Her complexion looks as if it were made of cherries and milk; and, it must be owned, the little lady has studied the art of dress to some purpose in Paris." Mr.Buxton was nearer happiness at this reply than he had ever been since his wife's death; for the only way he could devise to satisfy his reproachful conscience towards his neglected and unhappy sister, was to plan a marriage between his son and her child.