"If you please, Madam," was the answer, "there is a coach coming with gentlemen on horseback, and two running footmen in attendance; and Shale thinks it must be the Queen's."
"Draw to one side immediately," commanded Lady Ingram, "and then open the door and we will alight."
All alighted except the coachman, and Lady Ingram took Celia's hand, and stood with her just in front of her carriage. The running footmen passed them first, carrying long wands, and dressed in scarlet and gold livery. Lady Ingram's practised eye detected at once that the liveries were royal. Then came three gentlemen, two riding in front, the third behind. The coach, a large, handsome, but very unwieldly vehicle, lumbered slowly after them. In it were seated three ladies—one alone facing the horses, the others on the opposite seat.
"Which is the Queen, Madam?" asked Celia, excitedly.
"The Princess Anne will sit alone, facing the horses," replied her step-mother.
The lady who occupied the seat of honor, and whom alone Celia noticed, was the fattest woman she had ever seen. She had a fat, round face, and ruddy complexion, dark chestnut hair, and regular features. Her eyes were gray, and the expression of her face, though kindly, was not indicative of either liveliness or intellect. She wore a black dress trimmed with ermine, and a long black hood lined with the same fur. Not until the Queen had become invisible to her did Celia notice her ladies on the opposite seat. One of them was remarkable for a nose not extremely beautiful, and abundance of curls of a dusky red streamed over her shoulders. Celia glanced at the other, and came to the conclusion that there was nothing particular about her.
"So that is Abigail Hill!"[[3]] said Lady Ingram, in a peculiar tone, when the coach had driven past. "I thought she had had more in her—at least to look at."
"Is that the lady with the red hair, Madam?"
"No, my dear—the other. The red-haired one is the Duchess of Somerset."[[4]]
Lady Ingram still stood looking after the royal carriage with a meditative air.