Belle ignored this question and turned eagerly to Darry.
“We are staying with a friend of ours for a day or two,” she said. “She is a sort of cousin of mine and she owns a beautiful cottage about a mile from here. If we like it here,” she added, smiling coyly at the harassed Darry, “we might stay longer.”
“Is that a threat or a promise?” murmured the impish Amy, and unfortunately Belle heard her.
The girl’s face flamed red and she turned upon Amy furiously.
“If you want to know, I wasn’t speaking to you,” she flared.
“And if you want to know, I wasn’t speaking to you, either,” returned Amy coolly. Jessie put an urgent hand upon her chum’s arm.
“Don’t answer her,” she whispered. “Can’t you see she is just spoiling for a fight?”
Sally had buttonholed the uncomfortable Burd and Belle was speaking to Darry in a coaxing tone.
“We are having a party to-night, and we would like you boys to come. You can come, too, if you want to,” she flung carelessly to the three girls.
Amy started to speak, but Jessie held her back. She saw Darry smile and thought him quite capable of coping with the situation.