Hazleby. It was not long before a loud knock at the door announced
that lady's arrival.
Mrs. Hazleby was a tall bony Scotchwoman, with fierce-looking grey
eyes. She gave Mrs. Woodbourne a very overpowering embrace, and then
was careful to mark the difference between her niece, little Dora,
whom she kissed, and the three elder girls, with whom she only shook
hands. She was followed by her daughters--Harriet, a tall showy girl
of sixteen, and Lucy, a pale, quiet, delicate-looking creature, a
year younger. Rupert Merton was still missing; but his movements
were always so uncertain, that his family were in no uneasiness on
his account.
As Mrs. Woodbourne was advancing to kiss Harriet, a loud sharp 'yap'
was heard from something in the arms of the latter; Mrs. Woodbourne
started, turned pale, and looked so much alarmed, that Anne could not
laugh. Harriet, however, was not so restrained, but laughed loudly
as she placed upon a chair a little Blenheim spaniel, with a blue
ribbon round his neck, and called to her sister Lucy to 'look after
Fido.' It presently appeared that the little dog had been given to
them at the last place where they had been staying on the road to
Abbeychurch; and Mrs.
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