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In the distance she heard some children calling Annie, Annie Forest; but she was far too comfortable and too lazy to answer them, and presently she closed her eyes and really did fall asleep.
She was awakened by a very slight sound by nothing more nor less than the gentle and very refined conversation of two girls, who sat under the oak-tree in which Annies hammock swung. Hearing the voices, she bent a little forward, and saw that the speakers were Dora Russell and Hester Thornton. Her first inclination was to laugh, toss down some leaves, and instantly reveal herself: the next she drew back hastily, and began to listen with all her ears.
I never liked her, said Hester I never even from the very first pretended to like her. I think she is underbred, and not fit to associate with the other girls in the school-room.
She is treated with most unfair partiality, retorted Miss Russell in her thin and rather bitter voice. I have not the smallest doubt, not the smallest, that she was guilty of putting those messes into my desk, of destroying my composition, and of caricaturing Mrs Willis in Cecil Temples book. I wonder after that Mrs Willis did not see through her, but it is astonishing to what lengths favouritism will carry one. Mrs Willis and Mr Everard are behaving in a very unfair way to the rest of us in upholding this commonplace, disagreeable girl; but it will be to Mrs Williss own disadvantage. Hester, I am, as you know, leaving school at Midsummer, and I shall certainly use all my influence to induce my father and mother not to send the younger girls here; they could not associate with a person like Miss Forest.
I never take much notice of her, said Hester; but of course what you say is quite right, Dora. You have great discrimination, and your sisters might possibly be taken in by her.
Oh, not at all, I assure you; they know a true lady when they see her. However, they must not be imperilled. I will ask my parents to send them to Mdlle. Lablanché. I hear that her establishment is most recherché .
Mrs Willis is very nice herself, and so are most of the girls, said Hester, after a pause. Then they were both silent, for Hester had stooped down to examine some little fronds and moss which grew at the foot of the tree. After a pause, Hester said
I dont think Annie
is the favourite she was with the girls.
Oh, of course not; they all, in their heart of hearts, know she is guilty. Will you come indoors, and have tea with me in my drawing-room, Hester?
The two girls walked slowly away, and presently Annie let herself gently out of her hammock and dropped to the ground.
She had heard every word; she had not revealed herself, and a new and terrible and, truth to say, absolutely foreign sensation from her true nature now filled her mind. She felt that she almost hated those two who had spoken so cruelly, so unjustly of her. She began to trace her misfortunes and her unhappiness to the date of Hesters entrance into the school. Even more than Dora Russell did she dislike Hester; she made up her mind to revenge herself on both these girls. Her heart was very, very sore; she missed the old words, the old love, the old brightness, the old popularity; she missed the mother-tones in Mrs Williss voice her heart cried out for them, at night she often wept for them. She became more and more sure that she owed all her misfortunes to Hester, and in a smaller degree to Dora. Dora believed that she had deliberately insulted her, and injured her composition, when she knew herself that she was quite innocent of even harbouring such a thought, far less carrying it into effect. Well, now, she would really do something to injure both these girls, and perhaps the carrying out of her revenge would satisfy her sore heart.
Chapter Nineteen Cup And Ball
When Hester had read so far, she flung her letter on the table, put her head into her hands, and burst into tears.
Oh, how cruel of father! she exclaimed; how am I to live without ever going home how am I to endure life without seeing my little Nan?
Hester cried bitterly; the strongest love of her nature was now given to this pretty and sweet little sister, and dismal pictures rose rapidly before her of Nan growing up without in the least remembering her perhaps, still worse, of Nan being unkindly treated and neglected by strangers. After a long pause, she raised her head, wiped her eyes, and resumed her letter. Now, indeed, she started with astonishment, and gave an exclamation of delight Sir John Thornton had arranged that Mrs Willis was also to receive little Nan, although she was younger than any other child present in the school. Hester scarcely waited to finish her letter. She crammed it into her pocket, rushed up to Susan Drummond, and astonished that placid young lady by suddenly kissing her.
Nan is coming, Susy! she exclaimed; dear, darling, lovely little Nan is coming oh, I am so happy!
She was far too impatient to explain matters to stolid Susan, and danced downstairs, her eyes sparkling and smiles on her lips. It was nothing to her now how long she stayed at school her hearts treasure would be with her there, and she could not but feel happy.