Lord Canterville did not know what Mr Otis was talking about. He said 'Well I thought that I should tell you about the ghost, but if you want to have the house even with the ghost in it, then that's fine.'

After a few weeks Canterville Chase was sold to Mr Otis. When he had finished meeting and having parties with important people in London, the Ambassador and his family went to live at the house. Before she married Mr Otis, Mrs Otis was Miss Lucretia R. Tappen, who lived at West 53rd Street. She had been one of the most beautiful girls in New York.

Now she was a very good-looking woman who was about 35 years old. She had lovely eyes, and was not too fat or too thin. Many American ladies who go to Europe act as though they are not very healthy, because they think this is how well-educated ladies should behave. Mrs Otis had never pretended to be sick when she was not. She was very healthy and she had lots of energy.

Sometimes she almost seemed to be English. This is because today England and America are almost the same, except, of course, the language is very different.

Mrs Otis' oldest son was named Washington. His parents had wanted to show respect for that great American, but their son always wished that they had called him something else. He was a good-looking young man who had fair hair.

Everyone knew that he would be a good American diplomat, because he danced so well. He liked some kinds of flower, and he was always impressed by aristocrats. Except for these two things, he was very sensible.