“You and I’ll have a picnic all to ourselves,” said Nesta.
“Then you must be very quick,” replied Flossie, “for we are going to the seaside next week.”
“And the Carters are going on Saturday. I do declare I’ll have to look sharp after my yellow-boy. I tell you what—there’s nothing on earth for us to do to-day; why shouldn’t we go right away and see the Carters. I could get my money from Pen, and we’ll have a treat. We can go to Simpson’s and have ginger beer and chocolates. Wouldn’t that be prime?”
“Rather!” said Flossie, “and I’m just in the humour, for the day is frightfully hot.”
“But you don’t mind the heat—I’m sure I don’t.”
“You’re rather a show in that dress, Nesta.”
“I don’t care twopence about my dress,” said Nesta. “What I want is my darling yellow-boy. I want him and I’ll have him. We can go right away through the woods as far as our place; only perhaps that would be dangerous, for they might pounce upon me. They’re always doing it now. Before mothery got so ill we had our stated times, but now we’re never sure when we’ll be wanted. It’s Molly this, and Ethel that, and Nesta, Nesta, Nesta, all the time. I scarcely have a minute to myself. If it wasn’t for my lessons I’d simply be deaved out of all patience; but it’s hard now that there are holidays, that I can’t get away.”
“I wish you could come to the seaside with us,” said Flossie suddenly, as she thought of the yellow-boy—twenty whole shillings. Perhaps her father and mother might be induced to take Nesta with them. Her father had said only that morning:
“I am sorry for you, my little girl; you will miss your companions.”
Flossie’s father was rather proud of her friendship for Nesta Aldworth. He thought a great deal of Mr Aldworth, and spoke of him as a rising man. Oh, yes, it might be worth while to get her father and mother to invite Nesta to join them, and Nesta would have her twenty shillings. Twenty, or nineteen at least, and they might have a great many sprees at Scarborough. It would be delightful.