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Cecil Temple was the first to speak.
How could you? she said, in an indignant voice for her. Annie is not the girl to be driven, and, in any case, it is not for you to correct her. Oh, Mrs Willis would have been so pained had she heard you you were not kind , Miss Thornton. There, I dont wish to be rude, but I fear I must leave you and Miss Russell I must try and find Annie.
Im going back to my own drawing-room, said Miss Russell, rising to her feet. Perhaps, she added, turning round with a very gracious smile to Hester, you will come and see me there, after tea, this evening.
Miss Russell drew aside the curtains of Cecil Temples little room, and disappeared. Hester, with her eyes full of tears, now turned eagerly to Cecil.
Forgive me, Cecil, she exclaimed. I did not mean to be unkind, but it is really quite ridiculous the way you all spoil that girl you know as well as I do that she is a very naughty girl. I suppose it is because of her pretty face, continued Hester, that you are all so unjust, and so blind to her faults.
You are prejudiced the other way, Hester, said Cecil in a more gentle tone. You have disliked Annie from the first. There, dont keep me I must go to her now. There is no knowing what harm your words may have done. Annie is not like other girls. If you knew her story, you would perhaps be kinder to her.
Cecil then ran out of her drawing-room, leaving Hester in sole possession of the little tea-things and the three-legged stools. She sat and thought for some time; she was a girl with a great deal of obstinacy in her nature, and she was not disposed to yield her own point, even to Cecil Temple; but Cecils words had, nevertheless, made some impression on her.
At tea-time that night, Annie and Cecil entered the room together. Annies eyes were as bright as stars, and her usually pale cheeks glowed with a deep colour. She had never looked prettier she had never looked so defiant, so mischievous, so utterly reckless. Mdlle. Perier fired indignant French at her across the table. Annie answered respectfully, and became demure in a moment; but even in the short instant in which the governess was obliged to lower her eyes to her plate, she had thrown a look so irresistibly comic at her companions, that several of them had tittered aloud. Not once did she glance at Hester although she occasionally looked boldly in her direction; but when she did so, her versatile face assumed a blank expression, as if she were seeing nothing. When tea was over, Dora Russell surprised the members of her own class by walking straight up to Hester, putting her hand inside her arm, and leading her off to her own very refined-looking little drawing-room.
I want to tell you, she said, when the two girls found themselves inside the small inclosure, that I quite agree with you in your opinion of Miss Forest. I think you were very brave to speak to her as you did to-day. As a rule, I never trouble myself with what the little girls in the third-class do, and of course Annie seldom comes under my notice; but I think she is a decidedly spoiled child, and your rebuff will doubtless do her a great deal of good.
These words of commendation, coming from tall and dignified Miss Russell, completely turned poor Hesters head.
Oh, I am so glad you think so! she stammered, colouring high with pleasure. You see, she added, assuming a little tone of extra refinement, at home I always associated with girls who were perfect ladies.
Yes, any one can see that, remarked Miss Russell approvingly.
And I do think Annie underbred, continued Hester. I cannot understand, she added, why Miss Temple likes her so much.
Oh, Cecil is so amiable; she sees good in every one, answered Miss Russell. Annie is evidently not a lady, and I am glad at last to find some one of the girls who belong to the middle school capable of discerning this fact. Of course, we of the first-class have nothing whatever to say to Miss Forest, but I really think Mrs Willis is not acting quite fairly by the other girls when she allows a young person of that description into the school. I wish to assure you, Miss Thornton, that you have at least my sympathy, and I shall be very pleased to see you in my drawing-room now and then.
As these last words were uttered, both girls were conscious of a little rustling sound not far away. Miss Russell drew back her curtain, and asked very sharply, Who is there? but no one replied, nor was there any one in sight, for the girls who did not possess compartments were congregated at the other end of the long play-room, listening to stories which Emma Marshall, a clever elder girl, was relating for their benefit.
Miss Russell talked on indifferent subjects to Hester, and at the end of the half-hour the two entered the class-room side by side, Hesters little head a good deal turned by this notice from one of the oldest girls in the school.
As the two walked together into the school-room, Susan Drummond, who, tall as she was, was only in the fourth class, rushed up to Miss Forest, and whispered something in her ear.