soon know. It was half-past eight in the morning, and Tristram's "about
ten" would not mean later than, half-past, or a quarter to eleven. She
rang the bell for her maid, and told her to ask the young ladies to put
on dressing-gowns and come to her.

Soon Lord Tancred's two sisters entered the room.

They were nice, fresh English girls, and stood a good deal in awe of
their mother. They kissed her and sat down on the bed. They felt it was
a momentous moment, because Lady Tancred never saw any one until her
hair was arranged--not even her own daughters.

"Your brother Tristram is going to be married," she said and referred to
the letter lying on the coverlet, "to a Countess Shulski, a niece of
that Mr. Markrute whom one meets about."

"Oh! Mother!" and "Really!" gasped Emily and Mary.

"Have we seen her?"

"Do we know her?"

"No, I think we can none of us have seen her. She certainly was not with
Mr. Markrute at Cowes, and no one has been in town, except this last
week for Flora's wedding. I suppose Tristram must have met her in
Scotland, or possibly abroad. He went to Paris, you remember, at Easter,
and again in July."

"I wonder what she is like," said Emily.