These comforting words soothed Beatrice, and then Clara came forward to greet her friend.
Clara was a slight thin girl about 19 with very fair hair and blue eyes, she wore a blue satin dress trimmed with real Brussels lace in keeping with Le Chateau, and a spray of blue flowers in her hair.
"My sisters will be down in one minute" she said kindly "their maids are doing their hairs."
"Oh I see," said Beatrice rapidly taking off her gloves and displaying with some pride her white smooth hands.
"I suppose you are very tired," said Mrs. Vindsor giving the fire a poke with the toe of her shoe.
"Yes I am," said Beatrice "it was very rough crossing."
Just then the door opened and two girls entered about 22 and 24 in age. The eldest was by no means beautiful but she was intensely good. She had small black eyes and black hair which she wore in a most peculiar manner, it was cut in a fringe in front and gathered into a huge knob behind all except one piece which hung down her back and on the end of which a single red rose was attached. She was attired in yellow silk and was by no means courteous to Beatrice, her name was Honoria.
The other girl was the most beautiful of the three. She had lovely brown hair and soft blue eyes fringed by sweet long lashes. Her nose and mouth were enough to attract an artist towards her; she was dressed in a lovely pink silk dress and her knob was arrayed by a pink feather. Her name was Margaret and she was known through all Paris as the "sweet young lady with the pathetic blue eyes!" and on the 20th of August (her birthday) not a single person omitted to give her a present. Beatrice thought her lovely and kissed her on both cheeks with hearty good cheer.
And so ended Beatrice's first night at Le Chateau.