humour, frank courage, were traits legible enough; and when the lips
parted to show their warmth, their fullness, when the eyelids
drooped a little in meditation, one became aware of a suggestiveness
directed not solely to the intellect, of something like an
unfamiliar sexual type, remote indeed from the voluptuous, but
hinting a possibility of subtle feminine forces that might be
released by circumstance. She wore a black serge gown, with white
collar and cuffs; her thick hair rippled low upon each side of the
forehead, and behind was gathered into loose vertical coils; in
shadow the hue seemed black, but when illumined it was seen to be
the darkest, warmest brown.

Offering a strong, shapely hand, she looked at her visitor with a
smile which betrayed some mixture of pain in the hearty welcome.

'And how long have you been in London?'

It was the tone of a busy, practical person. Her voice had not much
softness of timbre, and perhaps on that account she kept it
carefully subdued.

'So long as that? How I wish I had known you were so near! I have
been in London myself about two years. And your sisters?'

Virginia explained Alice's absence, adding,--

'As for poor Monica, she has only Sunday free--except one evening
a month. She is at business till half-past nine, and on Saturday
till half-past eleven or twelve.'