Part 34 (1/2)
Cicely was seated near Aneta, with Kathleen O'Donnell at her other side Just for a minute Aneta's eyes traveled across the table and fixed the, and a resentful feeling awoke in her heart She could not dare to oppose Aneta; and yet--and yet--she was determined at any cost to keep the love of Merry Cardew for herself
Meanwhile Merry, as equally delighted to find herself by Maggie's side, began to talk to her in a low tone
”You don't look very well, Mags,” she said--”not nearly as robust as when I saw you last; and you never wrote to reat deal I want to tell you,” said Maggie in a low tone
”Lucy is quite right; there are no lessons of any sort this evening
Mrs Ward always gives us the first evening to settle and to get perfectly at home in, so we shall be able to chatter to our heart's content This is going to be a glorious night, and we can walk about in the garden”
”But won't there be a lot of other people in the garden?” asked Merry
”Why, of course,” said Maggie in a surprised tone ”I suppose we'll all be there”
”We can't talk any secrets, if that is what you arden is so very shed ”That's because you are accustomed to Meredith Manor,”
she said ”Anyhow,” she continued, dropping her voice, ”I reat deal to say, and you'll have to listen”
”Of course I will listen, dear,” said Merry
Rosaeneral
Henrietta and Mary Gibson had a very agreeable way of describing things Maggie felt herself reinstated in the life she loved; Merry, the girl she cared for best, was by her side, and she would not have had a single thorn in the flesh but for the presence of Aneta
It has been said that in this school there were two girls who held considerable sway over their coie Howland Aneta had, of course, far and away the greater nuirls under her spell, if such a word could describe her high and noble influence over the ere Rosamond Dacre, Kathleen O'Donnell, Matty and Clara Roache, and Janet Burns All these girls were fairly nice, but not so high-bred and not so noble in tone as the girls who devoted the; she was the ro of every one But Rosamond Dacre was decidedly morose and sulky She was clever, and on this account her irl to deal with, being more or less shut up within herself, and disinclined to true friendshi+p with any one She liked Kathleen O'Donnell, however, and Kathleen adored Maggie Rosaie's side of the school Matty and Clara Roache were quite ordinary, everyday sort of girls, neither very good-looking nor the reverse, neither specially clever nor specially stupid Their greatest friend was Janet Burns, a handsoray eyes, and a passionate adoration for Maggie Howland Matty and Clara would follow Janet to the world's end, and, as Janet adhered to Maggie, they were also on Maggie's side
Maggie naturally expected to add to the numbers of her special adherents her oo friends, the Tristrams She felt she could easily have won Merry also to join, the ranks of adorers; but then it suddenly occurred to her that her friendshi+p for Merry should be even more subtle than the ordinary friendshi+p that an ordinary girl who is queen at school gives to her fellows She did not dare to defy Aneta
Merry ie's what else irls drifted into the garden, where they walked in twos, discussing their holidays, their old friends, and the ti There was not a trace of unhappiness in any face The whole atoodwill
Aneta and Cicely, with soe--Anne and Jessie--and a very graceful girl called Sylvia St John, walked up and down talking quietly together for soerly round her ”I can't see Merry anywhere,”
she reht, dear, I am sure,” said Aneta But Aneta in her inmost heart did not think so She was, however, far too prudent to say a word to ie and Merry had found a cosy corner for themselves in one of the conservatories They sat side by side in two little garden-chairs
”Well, you've con My heart's desire is satisfied”
”Oh, hoeet you are, Maggie!” said Merry ”I have missed you so much!” she added ”I have so often wished for you!”
”Do you really loveat Merry in her queer, abrupt manner
”You know I do,” said Merry