`` Peculiar people are always that at least , whatever else they are or are not . Did n't I tell you we would come to an enchanted palace ? I knew the elves had n't woven magic over that lane for nothing . '' `` But Miss Lavendar Lewis is hardly a spellbound princess , '' laughed Diana . `` She 's an old maid ... she 's forty-five and quite gray , I 've heard . '' `` Oh , that 's only part of the spell , '' asserted Anne confidently . `` At heart she 's young and beautiful still ... and if we only knew how to unloose the spell she would step forth radiant and fair again . But we do n't know how ... it 's always and only the prince who knows that ... and Miss Lavendar 's prince has n't come yet . Perhaps some fatal mischance has befallen him ... though THAT 'S against the law of all fairy tales . '' `` I 'm afraid he came long ago and went away again , '' said Diana . `` They say she used to be engaged to Stephan Irving ... Paul 's father ... when they were young . But they quarreled and parted . '' `` Hush , '' warned Anne . `` The door is open . '' The girls paused in the porch under the tendrils of ivy and knocked at the open door . There was a patter of steps inside and a rather odd little personage presented herself ... a girl of about fourteen , with a freckled face , a snub nose , a mouth so wide that it did really seem as if it stretched `` from ear to ear , '' and two long braids of fair hair tied with two enormous bows of blue ribbon . `` Is Miss Lewis at home ? '' asked Diana . `` Yes , ma'am . Come in , ma'am .
I 'll tell Miss XXXXX you 're here , ma'am .
Anne Diana Irving Lavendar Lewis Paul elves mischance snub tendrils