“Very well, Kitty,” said Anne; “but you’ll lose your money, you know, for daddy never changes his mind.”
Meanwhile Sophia had gone up to her room. She was about to put on her shabby frock when there came a tap at the door. Hannah stood without.
“Sophy, I do pity you so dreadfully. Have you quite made up your mind?”
“Yes, I have. I wish I needn’t. You’d best not stand there talking to me, Hannah.”
“Well, if you have,” said Hannah, “and there’s no way out of it, I want to help you in a little trifle. I have nothing to do this afternoon, and I want to mend your cashmere and wash it over with ammonia; it will bring out the colour like anything; and, as you and I are exactly the same height, will you wear this frock of mine when you go with the others to see Mrs. Fleming? See, it is quite new; it came to me from mother this morning by post.”
“Oh Hannah, you are a duck! And what a pretty colour! But ought I to wear it first of all?”
“Yes, please do; it will make me a little bit happier. Let me help you to hook up the eyes; it fastens up the back, you know.”
A few minutes later Sophia was arrayed in a dark-blue cashmere frock, which suited her exactly. She gave Hannah a sort of choky kiss; she tried to murmur some words, but none would come, and then she left the room.
The four girls were, as has been said, the last to enter the little library and to express their willingness to compete for the Howard miniature. Mrs. Fleming looked them all over, beginning at Kitty and ending with Sophia. The Dodds looked sullen and ugly; their green dresses were hideous, and made them look, as Kitty knew well, their very worst. The dresses were made of rich double crêpe de chine, a most expensive material, and had on the bodices some handsome real lace and little knots of yellow ribbon. The colour of the green was a sort of yellow spring tint, which would really have tried a Venus, unless she were as fair as Peggy Desmond, who could have carried off one of those queer frocks to perfection. Sophia was the only one of the party suitably dressed, and this was owing to Hannah.
Mrs. Fleming, after looking at the girls one after the other, said quietly, “You are anxious and willing to compete for this great prize?”