Once outside, Aaron seemed to lose his awe, and his spirits returned, but Loveday did not so soon recover. She felt she wanted to do something for Mr. Winter to make him feel less sad and uncomfortable, yet she felt quite helpless, especially since she had seen Mrs. Tucker. If one had to get past her before one could see him, it really seemed as though it never could be done.
“Now then for the Fairy Ring,” said Aaron, as soon as they got outside.
In their relief at getting away from that grim place, they both took to their heels and ran over a great stretch of short grass, burnt brown and slippery by the hot sun, until they came to a large level space on almost the edge of the cliff, and there on the brown coarse turf stood out a large ring of grass, so lush and rich and green that there must surely have been some hidden spring which fed it, or the fairies must indeed have been at work.
“It keeps green like that ’cause the fairies dance there,” said Aaron, with pride and awe.
Loveday jumped carefully over the green ring and stood in the centre.
“I expect they’d be angry if I stepped on it—wouldn’t they?” she asked.
They both spoke softly, as though half afraid of disturbing or offending the “little people.” Aaron jumped over too and joined her, and both sat down in the middle of the ring and tried to picture the wonderful scenes that took place there at night.
“I wonder where they live by day, and which way they come here,” she asked, looking about her eagerly.
“I reckon they come every way,” said Aaron. “Some live in the flowers and things, and some in caves and shells, I believe.”
“Do you think the piskies come too, and the buccas, and all?”