Already light, flying feet were approaching from the garden.
"I came to look for you, Alex," said Barbara breathlessly in the doorway. "They're going to give the prizes. What are you doing?"
"I'm coming," said Alex mechanically. She was rather surprised that Barbara should have taken the trouble to come for her.
"Did mother send you?"
"No," said Barbara simply; "but I thought it would look very bad if you kept out of the way of it because you happened to play badly and not win a prize."
So Alex assisted at the prize-giving, and saw Lady Essie accept the jingling, Indian silver bangles that were so much in fashion, with frank pleasure and gratitude, and saw consolation prizes awarded to Cedric and to his partner, who appeared entirely delighted, although she had done nothing at all to deserve distinction.
"You ought to have a prize, you know," she heard Ralph McAllister tell Barbara. "If you'd had a better partner you'd have won easily. You play much better than Lady Essie, really!"
It was not in the least true that Barbara played better than Lady Essie, or nearly so well, but she put on a little, gratified, complacent smile, that apparently satisfied Ralph McAllister quite as well as modest disclaimers.
Alex kept out of her partner's way, and avoided his eye. Not much probability that he would address flattering speeches to her!
All the time a subconscious emotion was surging through her at the thought of Mother Gertrude's letter and what it contained.