Weston's tastes were in complete accordance with her own.'

'Rapid judgment,' said Emily. 'Love before first sight. But Mrs.
Weston is a very sweet person.'

'And, Emily, did you see the music-book open at "Angels ever bright
and fair?" If Miss Weston sings that as I imagine it!'

'How could you see what was in the music-book at the other end of the
room? I only saw it was a beautiful piano. And what handsome
furniture! it made me doubly ashamed of our faded carpet and chairs,
almost as old as the house itself.'

'Emily!' said Lily, in her most earnest tones, 'I would not change
one of those dear old chairs for a king's ransom!'

The visit was in a short time returned, and though it was but a
formal morning call, Lilias found her bright expectations realised by
the sweetness of Alethea Weston's manners, and the next time they met
it was a determined thing in her mind that, as Claude would have
said, they had sworn an eternal friendship.

She had the pleasure of lionising the two sisters over the Old Court,
telling all she knew and all she imagined about the siege, Sir
Maurice Mohun, and his faithful servant, Walter Greenwood. 'Miss
Weston,' said she in conclusion, 'have you read Old Mortality?'

'Yes,' said Alethea, amused at the question.

'Because they say I am as bad as Lady Margaret about the king's