'What a lovely little fairy it is!' said John; 'but is it wound up to say nothing but yes or no?'
'She is awfully shy,' said Lance. 'Bill can't get as much out of her as you have done.'
'She has not spoken a word since I have been in the room,' added Robin.
'She is a strangely silent child,' said Cherry. 'Sometimes I think living so much with Theodore helps to make her so. She is quick at her lessons, and is a perfect little book of reference; and will talk to me gravely when we are alone; but it never seems to come into her head to chatter. I'm sure Lance and Robin have talked more nonsense in this hour than she has in six months.'
'I've a longing to hear Stella perpetrate a little nonsense,' said Lance. 'When Angel and Bear are at home, and there is a good gabble, there sits the child, her bright eyes smiling and gleaming, without a word.'
A knock at the door. 'Mr. Lancelot, there's the Centry carriage in the High Street.'
'There, you see what it is to be the lady's man!' said Lance, laughing and running down.
'The Centry carriage means your cousin no more,' said John.
'No; she has let Centry to an old general with a large family. She said she knew nothing about country poor, and hated county people; and her mother likes nothing really but Brighton. I think she is quite right,' said Cherry.
'What sort of people are they?'