"Muriel, would you see if they have taken the luggage up-stairs?"
Mrs. Colwood went at once.
Fanny Merton had herself changed color, and looked a little embarrassed. She did not repeat her remark, but began to take her furs off, to smooth her hair deliberately, and settle her bracelets. Diana came nearer to her as soon as they were alone.
"Do you really think I am like mamma?" she said, tremulously, all her eyes fixed upon her cousin.
"Well, of course I never saw her!" said Miss Merton, looking down at the fire. "How could I? But mother has a picture of her, and you're as like as two peas."
"I never saw any picture of mamma," said Diana; "I don't know at all what she was like."
"Ah, well--" said Miss Merton, still looking down. Then she stopped, and said no more. She took out her handkerchief, and began to rub a spot of mud off her dress. It seemed to Diana that her manner was a little strange, and rather rude. But she had made up her mind there would be peculiarities in Fanny, and she did not mean to be repelled by them.
"Shall I take you to your room?" she said. "You must be tired, and we shall be dining directly."
Miss Merton allowed herself to be led up-stairs, looking curiously round her at every step.
"I say, you must be well off!" she burst out, as they came to the head of the stairs, "or you'd never be able to run a place like this!"