A huge, softly shaded lamp shed its veiled light upon her white face and rounded throat; her hands and arms, which showed to the elbow, seemed not less pale than the ivory keys, and those disks of black velvet gazed in front of them, a whole world of anguish in their depths.
For this was the tune that her mother had loved, and she was playing it to remind herself of her promise and to keep herself firm in her determination to accept the bargain, for her little brother Mirko's sake.
She glanced at Lord Tancred as he entered.

Count Ladislaus Shulski had been a very handsome man, too.

She did not know enough of the English type to judge of Lord Tancred morally.

She only saw that he was a splendid, physical creature who would be strong--and horrible probably--like the rest.
The whole expression of her face changed as he came and leaned upon the piano.

The sorrow died out of her eyes and was replaced by a fierce defiance; and her fingers broke into a tarantella of wild sounds.
"You strange woman!" Lord Tancred said.
"Am I strange ?" she answered through her teeth.