'A sister to Ave Ward! Pretty preferment!' muttered Gertrude.
'Poor Ave! After the way she has borne her troubles, we shall feel it an honour to be sisters to her.'
'And that chair!' broke out Gertrude. 'O, Ethel, you did out of malice prepense make me vow it should be for Mrs. Thomas May.'
'Well, Daisy, if you won't suspect me of improving the circumstance, I should say that finishing it for her would be capital discipline.'
'Horrid mockery, I should say,' returned Gertrude, sadly; 'a gaudy rose-coloured chair, all over white fox-gloves, for a person in that state—'
'Poor Tom's great wish is to have her drawing-room made as charming as possible; and it would be a real welcome to her.'
'Luckily,' said Gertrude, breaking into laughter again, 'they don't know when it began; how in a weak moment I admired the pattern, and Blanche inflicted it and all its appurtenances on me, hoping to convert me to a fancy-work-woman! Dear me, pride has a fall! I loved to answer "Three stitches," when Mrs. Blanche asked after my progress.'
'Ah, Daisy, if you did but respect any one!'
'If they would not all be tiresome! Seriously, I know I must finish the thing, because of my word.'
'Yes, and I believe keeping a light word that has turned out heavy, is the best help in bridling the tongue.'