"It's a shame you can't have nicer clothes!" Lulu said; adding with frank admiration, "And you are so very pretty, you know!"
"Oh," cried Celia, her fair face aflame with blushes, "you mustn't flatter me like that!" But she was very pleased, in spite of her words of reproof, for she was a vain little girl at heart.
[CHAPTER VIII.]
LEFT OUT IN THE COLD.
MRS. WALLIS was far from being desirous that Lulu Tillotson should become very friendly with her young daughters; but, when the lawyer, before bidding her farewell on Monday morning, besought her very earnestly to allow Celia and Joy to spend the following Saturday at his house at T—, she hardly knew how to decline his invitation; and whilst she was hesitating, Sir Jasper interposed, and said it would be a pleasant change for the children.
"You know, my dear Margaret, the carriage is always at your disposal, so there will be no difficulty about sending or fetching the young people," he remarked; "let them go, by all means."
After that Mrs. Wallis saw no course open for her but to accept the invitation, though she did so with some misgivings. She did not dislike Lulu, and was sincerely sorry for the motherless girl; but she much feared she was not a good friend for Celia, for whom she evinced great partiality.
"I would as soon stay at home as go," remarked to her sister as she was getting ready to start for the drive to T— on Saturday morning. "I don't believe Lulu Tillotson wants me, she only asked her father to invite me on your account."
"Don't be silly!" Celia retorted. "You had a lot of friends at school, and I had none, but now Lulu and I are friends you don't like it. You must be jealous."
"Oh, Celia, how can you think that!" Joy cried, reproachfully. There was sufficient truth in her sister's speech, however, to make her pause and reflect. "I only meant that two's company and three's none," she proceeded, after a short silence. "I don't think I am jealous of Lulu; I hope not, but I know you and she will be so wrapped up in each other that I shall be out in the cold."