“Who’s afraid?” she said, and laughed.
“When are we to see your things, Polly?” asked Miss Jones. “If the auction is on Monday, there must be a show day, when we can all go round and inspect. I know that’s always done at auctions, for I’ve been at several in the country. The show day is the best fun of all. The farmers’ wives come and pinch the feather-beds between their thumbs and forefingers, and hold the blankets up to the light to see if the moths have got in.”
“Hetty, how vulgar!” interposed Miss Day. “What has Polly’s auction of her recherché things to do with blankets and feather-beds? Now the cocoa is ready. Who will help me to carry the cups round?”
“I had some fun to-day,” said Rosalind, when each of the girls, provided with their cups of cocoa, sat round and began to sip. “I took Miss Propriety to town with me.”
“Oh, did you, darling? Do tell us all about it!” said Annie Day, running up to Rosalind and taking her hand.
“There isn’t much to tell. She behaved as I expected; her manners are not graceful, but she’s a deep one.”
“Anybody can see that who looks at her,” remarked Lucy Marsh.
“We went to the Elliot-Smiths’,” continued Rosalind.
“Good gracious, Rosie!” interrupted Hetty Jones. “You don’t mean to say you took Propriety to that house?”
“Yes; why not? It’s the jolliest house in Kingsdene.”