“Let me introduce you first,” Dot answered, taking Peggy by the arm. “This is Irene, our household beauty queen,” she said. Irene, a tall, startlingly beautiful brunette, languidly waved a gesture of welcome with long, perfectly manicured fingers. Smiling, she said, “Don’t mind her jealous tones, Peggy. They say that beauty is in the eye of the beholder, and that means that she must love me, or she’d think I was ugly.”
A pretty, round-faced girl with almost white blond hair done in a long single braid came over to Peggy.
“They sound very catty,” she said with a gentle smile, “but we think they wouldn’t know what to do without each other. Now, no fighting tonight,” she said to Dot and Irene. “We want to give Peggy a chance to get used to us first.” Then, turning back to Peggy, she said, “My name is Greta. Your room is right next door to mine. And this is Maggie.”
Maggie, all freckles, brown bangs, and bright China-blue eyes, was sitting cross-legged on the floor. Without uncrossing her legs, she rose effortlessly, offered a wiry handshake and a warm grin, and sank back to her former position in one fluid movement.
“She’s not showing off,” Dot said, noticing Peggy’s startled look. “She does that sort of thing all the time without even thinking about it. She’s a dancer, and she makes the rest of us seem like a herd of elephants by comparison.”
“Not elephants,” Maggie said. “Not since I’ve been teaching you all how to move and walk. Maybe buffalo, but not elephants!”
“Do you know ’ow to move and walk?” Gaby asked.
“I always thought so, but now I’m beginning to have my doubts,” Peggy replied.
“Walk to the door and then back,” Maggie said.
Peggy did so, trying to be as graceful as she could, without seeming in any way affected. She had never really considered her walking ability before, and now that she was doing so, under the close scrutiny of the five girls, she suddenly felt that she had never walked before. Coming back to Maggie, she waited hopefully for her judgment. “Elephant?” she asked.