“Well, her ostensible reason,” said Maggie, “was that Lady Lysle knows my mother.”
“Does she, indeed?” said Isabel in a tone of great respect. 22
“But that doesn’t make me like her any the better,” said Maggie. “And now I will tell you why, girls, only you must faithfully promise you won’t repeat it to any one.”
“Of course not,” said the girls eagerly, who were accustomed to receive secrets from their schoolfellows, though Maggie, as a rule, never gave her secrets to anyone.
“Well, I will tell you,” said Maggie, the color flushing into her face and then leaving it pale again. “Aneta Lysle is one of the girls at Aylmer House. She is Lady Lysle’s niece; and—well—you know I am tolerant enough, but I can’t bear Aneta Lysle.”
Molly and Isabel were silent for a minute.
“If you can’t bear her,” said Isabel, “then I don’t suppose we’ll like her either when we go to the school.”
“Oh yes, you will; you’ll adore her—sure to. Now promise once again that you will never repeat this.”
“We certainly will not,” said Molly.
Isabel nodded emphatically. “We don’t tell secrets,” she said. Then she added, “We had best go downstairs now, if you’re quite tidy, Mags.”