Elizabeth Von Arnim

The Benefactress Elizabeth Von Arnim

"[...]married, opened before her on her appearing with such a pretty debutante under her wing, and she could enjoy the reflected glory of Anna's little triumphs. And then, without any apparent reason, Anna had altered so strangely, and had disappointed every one's expectations; never encouraging the right man, never ready to do as she was told, exasperatingly careless on all matters of vital importance, and ending by showing symptoms of freezing into something of the same philosophical state as Peter. Their mother had been German--a lady-in[...].""