Billie looked up to see that Amanda Peabody had planted herself straight in the patch.
“Did you want to speak to me, Amanda?”
Amanda’s smile was malicious.
“Not particularly. I just wanted to congratulate you on the fine showing you made against Vi on the courts. From your performance in that last set, I should say that every day, in every way, you are getting better and better.”
“It wasn’t Billie’s fault,” Vi blurted out indignantly. “There’s something the matter with——”
“Vi!” cried Billie sharply. “I asked you to keep quiet about that.”
Amanda’s malicious grin widened until it seemed to stretch from ear to ear.
“You don’t need to be so quiet about it. Everybody at Three Towers knows that there is something the matter with Billie Bradley’s tennis. It isn’t any secret if that’s what you mean.”
Vi started to speak again, but Billie squeezed her arm sharply and drew her past the outrageous girl.