"You are always so ill-natured," she half whispered to Bee. "If you
had asked too she would have let us go, but you always want to seem
better than any one else."
"No, I don't," said Bee, smiling. "I want dreadfully to see the
dresses. We'll ask your mother to let us see them together this
afternoon."
Rosy looked at her with surprise. Lately Beata had never answered her
cross speeches like this, but had looked either ready to cry, or had
told her she was very unkind or very naughty, which had not mended
matters!
Rosy was right. The white wood box did contain the dresses, and though
Mrs. Vincent was busy that day, as she and Aunt Edith were going a
long drive to spend the afternoon and evening with friends at some
distance, she understood the little girls' eagerness to see them, and
had the box undone and the costumes fully exhibited to please them.
They were certainly very pretty, for though the material they were
made of was only cotton, they had been copied exactly from an old
picture Lady Esther had sent on purpose. The only difference between
them was that one of the quilted under skirts was sky blue to suit
Rosy's bright complexion and fair hair, and the other was a very
pretty shade of rose colour, which, went better with Bee's dark hair
and paler face.
The children stood entranced, admiring them.
"Now, dears, I must put them away," said Mrs.
Pages:
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145