"No; I will go with you," said Matilda. She turned toward the door, opened it, and went quickly out. In the passage outside her face changed, she clenched her hands and stamped her feet.
"If I don't make Kate O'Connor eat humble pie, if I don't punish Cecil Ross for speaking to me as she has done, my name is not Matilda Matthews!" she muttered. "Yes, I will go, if only to spite them both. I will find out a way of revenge. How dared they speak to me as they did? Molly Lavender is well enough; she is a weak, goody-goody little thing of no character; I've nothing to say against her—at least not now. But oh, Cecil, you owe me a fine arrear of debts! And as to you, Kate, you will be sorry some day that you pitted your strength and will against mine. When first I thought of this plan I meant to be pretty good, if you would let me go; but now I won't be good; I'll only pretend to be good. Not eavesdrop, indeed! Oh, won't I, though, if necessary!"
Matilda hurried back to her room to write to her mother. Cecil and Kate looked at Molly.
"Well, are you happy now, Molly Lavender?" asked Kate.
"I think I am," replied Molly. "I think Matilda will try not to make herself too obnoxious."
"She'll be the snake in the grass, but we're in for her now," said Kate. "Don't let us waste any more time over her at present. Where shall we go? That is the next point to be considered."
The girls then drew their chairs to the little table in Molly's room, and, with a map of England and a gazetteer before them, began to plan out their holiday.