“Is that what makes one feel so light and jumpy? But we never heard her before.”
“You mean you didn’t know you heard; but you did, all the same. And now, unless you don’t want the trouble, I’m going to take you to London to see a little girl who has never been anything else but just a little girl.”
“Of course we want to go ... trouble! Oh, Fairykins!” That was Rose. Ruth wanted to know who the little girl was.
“She’s Little Nell, and I want you to be awfully nice to her, for she doesn’t get much fun, you know.”
You may be sure they would be nice to her, and mighty glad of the chance. So the fairy clasped their hands and led them once again through the Magic Gate. When they opened their shut eyes, after that well-remembered little jar of landing on the other side, they found themselves in a street.
It was a busy, crowded street, with carts rattling down the middle and people hurrying along the pavements, some with parcels and baskets, all with umbrellas, for a thin rain was falling. Rose and Ruth found themselves neatly clad in long waterproof cloaks of a circular pattern that fell almost to their feet, with little hoods framing their faces, and they also had an umbrella, a big one for the two of them. Before them, smiling at them gently, was a little girl of a sweet and tender beauty, with a threadbare cloak of the same pattern as their own and a small and somewhat battered-looking umbrella. She carried a little basket on one arm.
“It’s Nell,” said Rose, “isn’t it? We’ve come to play with you, and we are going to have a lovely time.”
Nell looked a bit startled.
“But I have work that must be done,” she said. “And my grandfather needs me, I fear. Maybe you will come with me and see him?”
“Later,” said Rose. “But really this is a good-time day. The fairy said so, and we are going to be happy every minute. You don’t have any little girls to play with, Nell. And now you are going to play with us.” Rose was decidedly firm. She had always wanted Nell to have some real fun, and here she was with a chance to give it her.