And as Claudia looked upon this array, her first thought was that a stranger might easily get confused among them and open the wrong door. And that it would be well to have them numbered as at hotels to prevent mistakes.
The old housekeeper opened one of the doors and admitted her mistress into a beautifully furnished and decorated suite of apartments which consisted of boudoir, bedroom, and dressing room opening into each other, so that, as Claudia entered the first, she had the vista of the three before her eyes. The floors were covered with Turkey carpets so soft and deep in texture that they yielded like turf under the tread. And the heavy furniture was all of black walnut; and the draperies were all of golden-brown satin damask and richly embroidered lace.
The effect of the whole was warm, rich, and comfortable.
Claudia looked around herself with approbation; her spirits rose; she felt reconciled to the rugged old fortress that contained such splendors within its walls; for who would care how rough the casket, so that the jewels it held were of the finest water? Her plans "soared up again like fire."
She passed through the whole suite of rooms to the dressing room, which was the last in succession, and seated herself in an easy- chair beside a bright coal fire.
"The dinner will be served in an hour, me leddy. Will I bring your leddyship a cup of tea before you begin to dress?" inquired the housekeeper.
"If you please, you may send it to me by one of my own women. You are too aged to walk up and down stairs," replied Claudia kindly.
"Hech, sirs! I'm e'en reddy to haud me ain wi' any lassie i' the house," said she, nodding her tall, flapping white sap.
"Will you tell me your name, that I may know in future what to call you?" Claudia asked.
"It's e'en just Mistress Murdock, at your leddyship's bidding. And now I'll gae bring the tea."
"Send my servant Katie to me at the same time," said Lady Vincent, who, when she was left alone, turned again to view the magnificence that surrounded her.
"If ever I spend another autumn on this bleak coast, I shall take care to fill the castle halls and chambers with gay company," she said to herself.
The housekeeper entered with an elegant little tea-service of gold plate, and set it on a stand of mosaic work, by Claudia's side.
While she was drinking her tea Katie entered, smiling with both her eyes and all her teeth.
"Well, my ladyship, ma'am, this looks like life at last; don't it, though?"
"I think so, Katie," said her mistress, sipping her aromatic "oolong."
"I like Scraggy better nor I thought I would."
"You like what?"
"This big jail of a house—Scraggy something or other they call it."
"Castle Cragg."
"Yes, that's it; plague take the outlandish names, I say!"
"Now, Katie, unpack my maize-colored moire antique. I must dress for dinner."
Of course Claudia expected to meet no one at dinner except the disagreeable companion of her journey; but Claudia would have made an elaborate evening toilet had there been no one but herself to admire it.
So she arrayed herself with very great splendor and went downstairs.
In the lower hall she found the porter and several footmen.
"Show me into the drawing room," she said to the former.
Old Cuthbert bowed and walked before her, and threw open a pair of folding doors leading into the grand saloon of the castle. And Claudia entered.
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