“He’s one of the tribe who live here,” she explained. “He’s a great admirer of Esther’s. And he’s quite a nice boy too, isn’t he?” she appealed to her friend.
“Very nice,” Esther agreed. “I met him quite by chance, and so we went and had some tea.”
Micky was frowning; it was odd that he felt more jealous of this man whom he had never seen than he had ever done of Ashton. He hated to feel that Esther had gone out with him wearing her new coat.
He stood by silently while the two girls chattered together; he felt very much out of it and unwanted.
“I’m glad everybody likes my coat,” Esther said. She had taken it off and was holding it at arm’s length, admiring its beauty.
“It was a lovely present, wasn’t it?” She appealed to Micky.
“Yes,” he said.
She laid her cheek to the big, soft collar.
“It’s something I have wanted all my life,” she told him.