"Well, talk it over now. I shan't repeat anything you say."
"We like you very much," said Nancy. "But as you're a friend of hers, we might not like to speak quite plainly. It's rather a serious situation."
"Oh, you can talk quite plainly before me. I can see the situation well enough, and it isn't as serious as you think. She has never been in a private family before, and has had no experience except with a horde of schoolgirls. Of course you have to keep a tight hand over them, and when they're at school nobody has authority over them except the teachers. She'll soon tumble to it that your mother has more say in things than she can have. But you mustn't always be appealing to your mother against her."
"Of course we shouldn't do that," said Joan indignantly. "We never did with Starling, except in fun."
"Besides, we are quite capable of controlling the situation by ourselves, when once we've settled on a course of action," said Nancy.
Miss Dexter laughed. "I've no doubt you are," she said. "Only give her a chance. That's all I ask."
"I suppose you don't object to our exercising our humour on her?" asked Nancy. "We have our reputation to keep up. And you must admit that she was rather trying this morning."
"Look here," said Miss Dexter. "She's been ill, and she's not well now. You may think it funny, but when I went in to see her just now she cried."
"Oh, poor darling!" exclaimed Joan. "Of course we'll be kind to her, won't we, Nancy?"
"We'll think it over," said Nancy. "We mustn't be sentimental. You're rather inclined to it, Joan. She may have shed tears of rage at being thwarted."