`` Are your father and mother at home ? '' asked Aunt Eliza , slowly . `` No , they went to town today . But they 'll be home this evening . '' `` I 'm sorry they 're away , '' said Aunt Eliza , coming in , `` because I can stay only a few hours . '' `` Oh , that 's too bad , '' shouted poor Felicity , darting an angry glance at the rest of us , as if to demand why we did n't help her out . `` Why , we 've been thinking you 'd stay a week with us anyway . You MUST stay over Sunday . '' `` I really ca n't . I have to go to Charlottetown tonight , '' returned Aunt Eliza . `` Well , you 'll take off your things and stay to tea , at least , '' urged Felicity , as hospitably as her strained vocal chords would admit . `` Yes , I think I 'll do that . I want to get acquainted with my -- my nephews and nieces , '' said Aunt Eliza , with a rather pleasant glance around our group . If I could have associated the thought of such a thing with my preconception of Great-aunt Eliza I could have sworn there was a twinkle in her eye . But of course it was impossible . `` Wo n't you introduce yourselves , please ? '' Felicity shouted our names and Great-aunt Eliza shook hands all round . She performed the duty grimly and I concluded I must have been mistaken about the twinkle . She was certainly very tall and dignified and imposing -- altogether a great-aunt to be respected . Felicity and Cecily took her to the spare room and then left her in the sitting-room while they returned to the kitchen , to discuss the matter in family conclave .
`` Well , and what do you think of dear XXXXX Eliza ? ''
Aunt course evening eye hands nieces rest room thing things