laura. And Julia means to keep our Mother's room: I can see that. No wonder she won't come and stay.
martha. Have you seen her?
laura. She just 'looked in,' as Julia calls it. I could see she'd hoped to find me alone. Julia always thought she was the favourite. I knew better.
martha. How was she?
laura. Just her old self; but as if she missed something. It wasn't a happy face, until I spoke to her: then it all brightened up. . . . Oh, thank you for the wreath, Martha. Where did you get it?
martha. Emily made it.
laura. That fool! Then she made her own too, I suppose?
martha. Yes. That went the day before, so you got it in time.
laura. I thought it didn't look up to much. (She is now contemplating Emily's second effort with a critical eye.) Now a little maiden-hair fern would have made a world of difference.
martha. I don't hold with flowers myself. I think it's wasteful. But, of course, one has to do it.