And this was what
had put her in such a temper the first time we saw her--when she would
have liked to put out her vexation on Manchon even, if she had dared!
Rosy's mother felt very disappointed, but she saw it was better to say
no more. She had told Colin about Beata coming, but not Felix, for as
he knew and loved the little girl already, she was afraid that his
delight might rouse Rosy's jealous feelings. For the prettiest thing
in Rosy was her love for her little brother, only it was often spoilt
by her _exactingness_. Fixie must love her as much or better than
anybody--he must be all hers, or else she would not love him at all.
That was how she sometimes talked to him, and it puzzled and
frightened him--he was such a very little fellow, you see. And
_mother_ had never told him that loving other people too made his
love for her less, as Rosy did! I think Rosy's first dislike to Beata
had begun one day when Fixie, wanting to please her, and yet afraid to
say what was not true, had spoken of Beata as one of the people Rosy
must let him love, and it had vexed Rosy so that ever since he had
been afraid to mention his little friend's name to her.
Rosy's mother thought over what Colin had told her, and settled in her
own mind that it was better to take no notice of it in speaking to
Rosy.
"If it had been a quarrel about anything else," she said to herself,
"it would have been different.
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