She was busy with this pretty work one bright October afternoon, all nicely established on her sofa in the upper hall, while Jamie and Pokey (lent for her amusement) were keeping house in a corner, with Comet and Rose's old doll for their “childerns.”
Presently, Phebe appeared with a card. Rose read it, made a grimace, then laughed and said,
“I'll see Miss Blish,” and immediately put on her company face, pulled out her locket, and settled her curls.
“You dear thing, how do you do? I've been trying to call every day since you got back, but I have so many engagements, I really couldn't manage it till to-day. So glad you are alone, for mamma said I could sit awhile, and I brought my lace-work to show you, for it's perfectly lovely.” cried Miss Blish, greeting Rose with a kiss, which was not very warmly returned, though Rose politely thanked her for coming, and bid Phebe roll up the easy chair.
“How nice to have a maid!” said Ariadne, as she settled herself with much commotion. “Still, dear, you must be very lonely, and feel the need of a bosom friend.”
“I have my cousins,” began Rose, with dignity, for her visitor's patronising manner ruffled her temper.
“Gracious, child! you don't make friends of those great boys, do you? Mamma says she really doesn't think it's proper for you to be with them so much.”
“They are like brothers, and my aunts do think it's proper,” replied Rose, rather sharply, for it struck her that this was none of Miss Blish's business.
“I was merely going to say I should be glad to have you for my bosom friend, for Hatty Mason and I have had an awful quarrel, and don't speak. She is too mean to live, so I gave her up. Just think, she never paid back one of the caramels I've given her, and never invited me to her party. I could have forgiven the caramels, but to be left out in that rude way was more than I could bear, and I told her never to look at me again as long as she lived.”
“You are very kind, but I don't think I want a bosom friend, thank you,” said Rose, as Ariadne stopped to bridle and shake her flaxen head over the delinquent Hatty Mason.