Price,Mrs Simpkins, and all the little Simpkinses saw them off and wishedthem well, and a happy day; and when the carriage had turned the corner,Mrs Dawson was congratulated by the other ladies on her distinguishedvisitors. Mrs Dawson, however, made few replies, for she wasconsiderably occupied with the thought of that advertisement and what itmeant, and how it was that a commonplace child like Fanchon Amberleyshould wear so handsome a bangle.
"For my poor husband was in the jewellery line when he lived," thoughtthe widow to herself, "and I know the best gold and real good stoneswhen I see them."
Mrs Dawson's feelings, however, have little to do with the reallyinteresting events of this wonderful July day. The colour rosebecomingly into Brenda's cheeks as she thought of all that lay beforeher, and when the hackney carriage drew up outside the Beverleys' house,she stepped lightly to the ground, and her pupils, with extremeawkwardness, followed her example. Josephine managed, in her exit fromthe carriage, to tear her delaine frock, which was decidedly annoying;but nothing else untoward occurred.
Honora was there and so was Penelope, and so were several other of thegirls; and they all swept Brenda and her little charges under theirwings. Honora saw that the torn flounce was immediately mended, andthen they went into the cool shady grounds. The three little Amberleyswere introduced to girls corresponding to themselves in age, and wereled away to enjoy several games. Fanchon for a time tried to observethe grown-up manners which Brenda had endeavoured to instil. She couldnot forget, either, that on the previous night she had worn a real goldbangle, and talked to a real man--for seventeen years of age seemed veryold and grown-up to her fourteen summers.
But Josie and Nina had no intention of doing anything but enjoythemselves. After the first few minutes of shyness, Nina complainedbitterly of the heat of her hair and said she wished Brenda had nottaken it out of its plaits.
"Why," asked little Nellie Hungerford--"don't you always wear it likethat down your back!"
"Oh, never," answered Nina. "It's screwed up into tight, tight plaits,and tied with some sort of string at the end. That's how I like it,"she answered. "I _am_ so hot with it falling all over my neck andshoulders--I wish I could cut it off."
"Oh, no--it is so pretty," said Nellie. "I tell you what," she added,"I'll plait it for you, if you like."
"Will you!" answered Nina, "I wish you would."
"All right--I'll do it right away, this very minute. And, Paulinedarling, you can run into the house for a piece of ribbon. What colourdo you want, Nina?"
"Oh, anything will do," said Nina--"a bit of grass, anything."
"Well, I tell you what," said Nellie; "we are a good way from the houseat present, and I have some string in my pocket, so we'll tie it withthat, and afterwards you shall have a piece of ribbon before we go downto lunch."
So Nina's hot, red hair was very badly and unevenly plaited. It hungrather crooked, much more to the left shoulder than to the right, andthe string was not becoming, but that did not matter at all to theemancipated little girl.
When Nellie had plaited Nina's hair, she suggested that she shouldperform the same office for the other two girls. Josie longed toaccept, but did not dare. Fanchon answered, "No, thank you, I prefer myhair down until I can put it up properly. I long for the day when I canput my hair up. Don't you?" she added, looking round at the littlegroup who were surveying her.
"Indeed, no," answered both the little Hungerfords. "We should hate tobe grown up. We love being children, don't we, Pauline?"
"Yes, yes," said Pauline. It was just then that her beautiful littlebangle with its ruby heart flashed in the sun. Fanchon noticed it; itwas so very like her own--so like, but with a marked difference. Shecould not help saying:
"What a very pretty bangle you have got!"
"Yes--isn't it?" said Pauline, but she spoke in a low voice, and pulledFanchon a little aside. "Don't speak of it, please," she said. "Ioften feel that I oughtn't to wear it."
"Do you, indeed?" said Fanchon, "I can't understand why. It looks mostelegant, and it gives such tone, doesn't it, now?"
"I don't know anything about that," said Pauline; "it is just a prettylittle ornament. Mother gave it to me."
"Well, I'm sure you ought to wear what your mother gave you. It must beso sweet to get presents of that kind; why don't you like to?"
"I will tell you, if you'll not say anything about it, and at the sametime, when I tell you, I want you to promise me something."
Fanchon coloured with delight. Pauline belonged to the county, andthere was quite a subtle difference between her and Miss FanchonAmberley, which that young lady herself appreciated, struggled against,and detested, all at the same time.
"Of course I won't tell," she said, "it is very nice of you to trust me.Have you a secret? It seems to me that most people have."
"Oh dear, no; I haven't any secret in all the world," said Pauline. "Iwouldn't; it'd be too horrid."
"Then why mustn't I tell what you say?"
"Because it would hurt my darling Nellie?"
"Your sister?"
"Yes."
"And why ever would it hurt her? Is she jealous because you have gotsomething--something so very, very pretty, and so--so--`chic'?"
"I hate that word," said Pauline, restlessly. "Well, I'll just tell youthe reason. I tell you because perhaps you will beg your sisters not tonotice my bangle--I would so much rather they didn't. The reason isthis. Darlingest mother went to Paris not long ago and bought a banglefor each of us, one with a red stone--this ruby you see--for me, and onewith the most lovely blue turquoise for Nellie, because Nellie'sbirthday is in December, and that is the month for turquoises, andpeople who are born in December have the right to wear turquoises. Andwhat do you think? Darling Nellie's bangle is lost. We can't imaginewhat's become of it?"
"Is it being advertised in the paper?" asked Fanchon, opening her eyesvery wide.
"Yes, of course it is. Have you seen the advertisement?"
"No, I haven't, but I--I met a ma--a person last night and he--theperson, I mean--saw the advertisement and--and--told me. I am so sorry,I hope you will get it back."
"No--I am afraid we never will. The advertisement has been out somedays now, and there has been no answer."
"Who do you think took it?" asked Fanchon.
"Oh, one of the railway officials--it's awful to think that those menshould be so dishonest, but we're certain it must be one of them, or, ofcourse it _might_ be a passenger in the train. Fred knows all about it.Fred thinks it must have been a passenger, but mother thinks it was anofficial. Anyhow, that doesn't greatly matter, does it? Some one is athief, and darling Nellie is without her bangle. I would much rathernot wear mine--I really would--but mother insists, and I _think_ shewill get another for Nellie some day--that is, if Nellie is brave anddoesn't mind too much. But the loss of it has quite told upon her, andshe isn't half as good as she used to be, that's why I don't want you tospeak of it."
"Oh, of course I won't. I am immensely interested," said Fanchon. "Ido hope they'll find it; I should think they'll be sure to. What was itlike, exactly? do you mind telling me?"
"Exactly like this; do you notice the beautiful carving all round thegold? and the gold is the best that can be procured, and the stone wasexactly the size of my ruby. I am July, you know, so the ruby is mystone. Well, well--we had better not say any more about it now--"
"I have a bangle of my own," suddenly said Fanchon.
"Have you?"
"Yes--but I mustn't tell you about it. I ought not even to havementioned that I have one. It was given to me by--by--a great friend.I prize it dearly. I longed and longed to wear it to-day, but I was notallowed."
"Who wouldn't let you wear it?" asked Pauline.
"My governess--Miss Carlton. She said that little girls didn't wearjewellery. But you are younger than me, and you have your bangle on. Ido _wish_ Miss Carlton would have let me wear mine! It is--oh--I_should_ like to describe it!"
/> Pauline looked at her attentively.
"Well," she said, "why don't you--that is, if you want to."
She was not really interested in Fanchon's bangle.
"I oughtn't to have said anything, even that I possessed it, and youmust promise that you won't mention it. I had no right to let it out--no right at all; my--my friend would be so dreadfully angry--you willpromise you