Respect her one might, fear her we did, but love her--it would have been as discouraging as petting a steam road-roller.

We hadn't even a motherly old nurse, for Aunt Eleanor liked machine-made people like herself to serve her.

I don't think it did you much harm, you were such a sunny-tempered, affectionate little boy, but it made me rather inhuman.
"As we grew up we acquired crowds of friends and acquaintances, but they were never like real home-people to whom you show both your best and your worst side, and who love you simply because you are you.

The Jardines give me that homey feeling.
"The funny thing is I thought I was going to broaden Jean, to show her what a narrow little Puritan she is, bound in the Old Testament thrall of her Great-aunt Alison--but not a bit of it.

She is very receptive, delighted to be told about people and clothes, cities, theatres, pictures, but on what she calls 'serious things' she is an absolute rock.