"Still, you can't go about by yourself, as you can here," Rosalind answered; and Belle added, "I like to go to the city for a little while, but I'd rather live in Friendship, where the houses aren't so close together."
As they sat there, throwing stones in the water and writing in the sand, Rosalind heard a great deal about school, which would close next week,—how the girls had rushed to the window to see her and had lost their recess, and how Belle had been sent to the office, besides, for making chalk dishes. It was all very amusing, but she could not understand why the girls wanted to see her.
"Well, you know they are all interested in your house, and in Miss Genevieve; and then everybody was surprised at your coming to visit your grandmother."
"I can't see why," Rosalind said, opening her eyes.
"Oh, well—because you never had before, you know." Belle's manner was hesitating, as if she felt conscious of being on dangerous ground.
What she said was certainly true. Rosalind herself did not exactly understand it. She knew only that there had been some reason why her father had not visited his old home for many years. She wondered if these girls knew more about it than she.
"You see, you are something new," Belle added, laughing. "Didn't Miss Celia scold us that morning, Katherine?"
"Why, no, Belle, she didn't exactly scold," said Katherine.
"She didn't throw back her head and frown and say 'Young ladies, I am amazed!'"—here Bell gave an excellent imitation of Mrs. Graham's manner—"so you don't call it scolding. She just said, 'Girls, I don't know what to think!' and we felt as mean! I love Miss Celia."
"So do I," echoed Katherine.