“Hi, Princess, what are you doing?”
She was busy drawing off her stockings.
“I say, but you can’t do that.”
“No, you can’t do that.”
The scandalized duet of protests continued. Her knight-errants watched her aghast.
Sullen gray eyes glared defiance at them; yet they weren’t altogether sullen, for a glint of mischief hid in their depths.
“I am doing it. You daren’t come out to stop me.”
“We’ll come out if you’ll promise to turn round. We’ll do anything, Princess. You can have the pond all to yourself.”
“Don’t want the pond all to myself, stupids.”
She began to slip off her petticoat. Two shocked backs were turned on her. As the boys retreated further into the lilies, their pleadings reached her in spasms. Their agony at the thought of violated conventions made her relentless.