She took both my hands in hers and looked me straight in the face.
"Never, while I live, Janet Hope, can I cease to love you," she said.
Then we kissed and went on our way towards Deepley Walls.

"You are to dine with her ladyship to-day, Miss Janet," said Dance the
same afternoon. "We must look out your best bib and tucker."

Dance seemed to think that a mighty honour was about to be conferred
upon me, but for my own part I would have given much to forego the
distinction. However, there was no help for it, so I submitted quietly
to having my hair dressed and to being inducted into my best frock. I
was dreadfully abashed when the footman threw open the dining-room door
and announced in a loud voice, "Miss Janet Hope."

Dinner had just been served, and her ladyship was waiting. I advanced up
the room and made my curtsey. Lady Chillington looked at me grimly,
without relaxing a muscle, and then extended a lean forefinger, which I
pressed respectfully. The butler indicated a chair, and I sat down. Next
moment Sister Agnes glided in through a side door, and took her place
at the table, but considerably apart from Lady Chillington and me. I
felt infinitely relieved by her presence.

Her ladyship looked as elaborately youthful, with her pink cheeks, her
black wig, and her large white teeth, as on the evening of my arrival at
Deepley Walls. But her hands shook a little, making the diamonds on her
fingers scintillate in the candlelight as she carried her food to her
mouth, and this was a sign of age which not all the art in the world
could obviate. The table was laid out with a quantity of old-fashioned
plate; indeed, the plate was out of all proportion to the dinner, which