Upon this there followed a discussion of styles and materials quite interesting to Betty, who did want to look like the rest but had had little experience so far in city shopping. Kathryn advised her a little about the best places to shop, where “things were expensive” and where one could get good values for a reasonable sum. They concluded to get the mothers together at some store and arranged the meeting place before any school matter was touched upon again.
Then Kathryn began. “I could have told you that everything is all right about Peggy, but some way I wanted to have a good chance all by ourselves before I did. You know how we went out to Carolyn’s that time. We had a good deal of fun over that lunch, and Peggy was just as much fun as she always is and I never acted any different from the way I always do. I just thought, if Peggy didn’t like me and talked about me, I couldn’t help it anyhow and there was no use in acting ‘sore’ about it. That is what my brother always says, Betty.”
“You needn’t apologize, Gypsy. I have a brother, too.”
Kathryn laughed. “It’s very convenient when you want to use slang to quote from your brother, isn’t it?”
“Very.”
“Well, it seems that Peggy had overheard you call me Gypsy, though how I don’t know.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Kathryn. I meant that for our little secret!”
“I know it, but really I don’t care. I rather like it now. You remember that we told Carolyn about it, at your house.”
“Yes.”
“Carolyn told me afterwards that she had it in mind when she asked us for lunch; and didn’t Peggy call me ‘Gypsy’ as she passed me the sandwiches?”