“It’s splendid!” Mrs. Tiverton said. “There isn’t a better doll in the world; only, Chrissie dear, be very careful with it. I don’t know but that father would have done better to have got something stronger—this is so very fragile. I think perhaps you had better have it only indoors. Yes, that’s the best way; after to-day you must play with Diana only indoors.”
It was thus that Diana came to Mapleton.
How Christina loved her that first day! She carried her everywhere and showed her everything—all over the house, right into the attics; all over the garden, right into the little black stove-place under the greenhouse, where Pedder, the gardener, read last Sunday’s paper over his lunch; into the village, to the general shop, to introduce her to the postmistress, who lived behind a brass railing in the odour of bacon and calico; into the stables, to kiss Lord Roberts, the old white horse. Jim, who groomed the General, was the only person who did not admire the doll properly; but how could you expect a nice feeling from a boy who sets dogs on rats?
II
It was two or three days after this that Roy went down to the river to fish. He had to go alone, because Christina wanted to play with Diana in the nursery; but not more than half an hour had passed when he heard feet swishing through the long grass behind him, and, looking up, there was Christina. Now, as Christina had refused so bluntly to have anything to do with his fishing, Roy was surprised to see her, but more surprised still to see that Diana had come too.
“Why, surely mother never said you might bring Diana?” he exclaimed.
THERE WAS CHRISTINA.
“No,” said Christina, rather sulkily, “but I didn’t think she’d mind. Besides, she’s gone to the village, and I couldn’t ask her.”
Roy looked troubled; his mother did not often make rules to interfere with their play, and when she did she liked to be obeyed. She had certainly forbidden Christina to take Diana out of the house. He did not say anything. Christina sat down and began to play. She was not really at all happy, because she knew it was wrong of her to have disobeyed, and she was really a very good girl. Roy went on fishing.