“Jessie, I am not going to enter upon the subject with you, I can only say that some one did it, who that person was I do not know, but I hope ere long to find out. However, we will drop that. I don’t wish Peggy to remain any longer in the Lower School; I have, therefore, brought her into the Upper School, and I hope that you, whether you are cousins or not, will take a cousin’s part and be kind to her. Anyhow, I expect you both to be kind to her, both of you.”
Jessie turned very white; she did not speak at all for a minute. Molly, on the contrary, felt extremely red, hot, and uncomfortable.
“My dears, I have sent for you, and I will tell you why. Simply because you are supposed in this school to be Peggy’s cousins, and if you take her part the rest of the school will follow suit; if, on the contrary, you go against her, the rest of the school beyond any doubt whatsoever will follow in your steps and make her life miserable. You, I know, Molly, don’t wish that.”
“Indeed, I don’t; indeed, I am very fond of her.”
“And you, Jessie?”
“I suppose I will do my best, Mrs. Fleming. I can’t say honestly that I feel with Molly in this matter. I am not fond of Peggy; her vulgar ways disgust me, she is a very rude, rough, ungovernable peasant child. I never thought that father would expect us to associate with such.”
“Jessie, you amaze me; and now I wish to tell you that I don’t agree with you at all. I don’t consider Peggy in any sense of the word vulgar; I don’t consider her in any sense of the word a common, everyday child, she is very much out of the common. She has unquestionably a way of expressing herself which is not usual in our class of life; but even now her accent is most sweet, most charming. She will very soon drop these little peculiarities, and when she does—I regret it—she will also drop a little bit of her charm. Yes, I must say it. Then look at her charming, exquisite face, think of those glorious eyes, that sweet, enchanting smile! Jessie, you ought to be very proud of your little cousin—your little friend, anyhow. Your father loves her, he intends to adopt her as a daughter, and you have no right to be unkind to her.”
“I will do my best,” said Jessie.
“Then that is all right, my dear Jessie, I believe in your best.”
Jessie started and looked attentively at her mistress, and a queer stab went through her heart. “But,” she said, “I must be honest. I must tell you that, notwithstanding every wish to the contrary, I don’t like her.”