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man, ruddy, with prominent teeth and blue eyes. She was the daughter of a country parson—as Hester was. Monica had never seen, or heard of Hester’s father since her relegating allusion to him on the day when the Registrar’s Office was announced; and the fact that Hester had cast him off did not make him seem more obscure.

‘Hello! How jolly of you to come! You have heard of our excitements. Celia carried off already.’

‘Just what Celia needs. She and your uncle have taken to each other, have they?’

‘I don’t know about that; but he doesn’t frighten her and that disposes him to kindness, I think. He rather frightens me.’

‘Is he old and sunburnt and crabbed? Has he always lived in India? I really know nothing about your uncle, Norah.’

‘He’s sunburned all right; extraordinarily brown; but not crabbed exactly, or old either; younger than you are I expect, Mrs. Wilmott. He is my mother’s youngest brother. Yes, he has spend most of his life in India; among queer warrior tribes in wild places.’

‘On the Afghan frontier? Soldiering, do you mean?’

‘Not soldiering so much as studying; discovering;