“Yes, yes, of course,” Father Proteus replied. “She will tell your Lordship how contented she is with us here in this happy House of God surrounded by the beauty of nature.”
He spoke in a somewhat theatrical manner and the Marquis made no reply.
Father Proteus left the room to return almost at once, so that she must have been waiting outside, with a young woman.
She was dressed in black and wore a dark veil over her head that the Marquis knew was that of a Postulant.
She came towards him, her head bowed, and dropped him a curtsey after which she straightened herself to face him.
As he looked at her, the Marquis was shocked.
Zia Langley was undoubtedly a very plain young woman, in fact he doubted if he had ever seen or at least noticed such a plain girl before.
She had a thin face, a
