Despite Churchill's long service and closeness to the queen, Victoria could be ruthless and demanding of her servant. Rappaport writes of Churchill's personality, " proved to be adept at self-effacement; she performed her duties with a combination of dignity, good humour, and vigilance". Churchill regularly travelled with Queen Victoria on her Scottish voyages, particularly to Balmoral Castle; these trips were often undertaken in the face of harsh weather conditions, with Jane venturing outside for fresh air with the Queen. Members of the household endured cold rooms at the Scottish castle. One trip involved Victoria and Albert journeying in disguise to Grantown – the couple referred to themselves as "Lord and Lady Churchill", while Jane Churchill accompanied them as "Miss Spencer", with a small party. At Balmoral, Churchill frequently read to the queen from novels such as Jane Austen's "Pride and Prejudice" and George Eliot's "The Mill on the Floss". In February 1872, Churchill was present on a drive from Regent's Park with the Queen when they were confronted by Arthur O'Connor, a teenage Irish nationalist. John Brown noticed the boy and prevented him from coming near the monarch.