When Via came her father had laughed over her jealousy of the gentle, fair baby. Her mother had not laughed but taken the matter seriously. By and by Jeanette had grown to care more for Via than for any one else save her father.
After her mother's death, save for her jealousy of Jimmie Kent's friendship with her father, she had lived unaware of her own fault. Then followed her father's announcement of his intended marriage to his former ward, Jacqueline Ralston, one of the four original Ranch Girls.
During the weeks before the ceremony Jeanette had not appreciated the extent of her own emotion.
The house had been filled with other relatives and guests and she had been absorbed and entertained by them.
Of her prospective stepmother she had seen less than any one else. She and her son, Jimmie, were living at the old Rainbow Lodge, the less pretentious home occupied by the four Rainbow Ranch Girls at the beginning of this series of Ranch Girl stories. The large house had been under the supervision of Mrs. Ralph Merritt, for whom Jeanette had been named.
"You are sure to care more for Jack than any of the rest of us, Jeanette. You are so much more like her as a girl than any of your sisters, you should have been her namesake, not mine!" Mrs. Merritt insisted.
Many times Jeanette had recalled this speech since her father's return home with his second wife.
It had been far from the truth. As the weeks passed Jeanette found herself liking her stepmother less and less. Now, there was no question of her own feeling. She had prejudiced her stepmother against her forever, so there could be no hope of even ordinary friendliness between them.
"Jack is the soul of honor, she will understand you perfectly, Jeanette. She has a quick temper, and was sometimes obstinate and self-willed as a girl, as you are. She will be able to appreciate your difficulties. You will find her always just, always frank and fair, unless she feels that she has been tricked or deceived. Then, I grant you, it is harder for her to forgive than other people. These weaknesses are so far from her own nature. I hope no better thing for you, Jeanette, than that you may become more like her as you grow older."
These thoughts had been haunting Jeanette as their motor car was bearing her sisters and herself to the meeting of the Club of the Silver Arrow.