week with Polly. She pretended to be blinded by the sight of me, which was because of the old joke about polish.
y word, someone been rubbing you up a bit. I can see nothing for shine.
Everything was going well with the two houses. Polly and Eff were, as Polly told me, quite well-to-do in the neighbourhoodadies of substance. The houses were full of good payers and Eff had her eyes on another house in the same row.
xpansion,that what she calls it. Father always said Eff had a head for business.Downstairs No. 32 had left some months before and it had been a bit of a wrench because of the loss of the nipper. But they had found a good replacement in Mr. and Mrs. Collett, a good steady couple, too old for nippers alas, but you had to count your blessings.
There was the usual round of markets and p Westand everything we had done before; and it was good to be with Polly, and wonderfully comforting to know that the bond between us was as strong as ever.
I said a sad farewell, knowing that it would be a year before I saw her again.
In September we returned to Lamason.
There were changes. Francoise had left, and must be married to her rich, elderly husband by now. In her place in our dormitory was Janine Fellows.
I did not know whether I was pleased or repelled by this, for I was still not sure whether or not I liked Janine. Francoise had been a good companion; she had been entertaining and her knowledge about the chateau had helped us along in our first days. Her nonchalant acceptance of her fate, her philosophical views of life, her realism and lack of sentiment had intrigued me. I felt I had learned a good deal from Francoise. Gerda, of course, was not the most interesting of roommates. Her preoccupation with food had always bored me a little; she was too phlegmatic and intent on her creature comforts, but she was never malicious and was fundamentally good hearted. Lavinia, of course, was my familiar; and now there was Janine.
Her presence had changed the atmosphere of our dormitory. It had been cosy and rather exciting with Francoise; now I felt there was something malevolent there.
In the first place, she and Lavinia seemed to take an instant dislike to each other, and what made it a little sinister was that Janine rarely showed this. It was only now and then that it came out in certain flashes of temper with Lavinia and sly sarcasm from Janine.
Janine was plain, and that gave her something in common with me. Her reddish hair was fine and straight, hardly ever tidy; her eyes were small, very light blue, and her fine eyebrows made her look perpetually surprised.
She seemed to turn more to me for friendship. Gerda was interested mainly in herself, and her eyes would become glazed and vague when other subjects were raised. She never made trouble; neither did she contribute anything to companionship.
So naturally Janine talked to me more than any of the others, simply because Lavinia, like Gerda, was not interested in anything but her own desires, Gerda for food and Lavinia for admiration.
Lavinia had renewed her admiration for Monsieur Dubois, perhaps because there was no other male available. Janine noticed this and her lips always twitched with amusement every time he was mentioned.
Lavinia was an excellent dancer and Monsieur Dubois still chose her when he wished to demonstrate how a step should be danced. Lavinia revelled in this, twirling round, swaying from side to side, pressing closer than was necessary to Monsieur Dubois, raising her beautiful eyes to his face and then allowing the lids to fall over them, showing her long curling lashes, which alone would have made a beauty of her.
onsieur Dubois is a born flirt,said Janine. t part of his trade. Of course he knows what girls he can flirt with. He wouldn dare with some. You can see him trying it on with the Princess, can you?
The Princess belonged to the ruling house of some obscure middle European country and Madame was especially proud of her title.
should
y word, someone been rubbing you up a bit. I can see nothing for shine.
Everything was going well with the two houses. Polly and Eff were, as Polly told me, quite well-to-do in the neighbourhoodadies of substance. The houses were full of good payers and Eff had her eyes on another house in the same row.
xpansion,that what she calls it. Father always said Eff had a head for business.Downstairs No. 32 had left some months before and it had been a bit of a wrench because of the loss of the nipper. But they had found a good replacement in Mr. and Mrs. Collett, a good steady couple, too old for nippers alas, but you had to count your blessings.
There was the usual round of markets and p Westand everything we had done before; and it was good to be with Polly, and wonderfully comforting to know that the bond between us was as strong as ever.
I said a sad farewell, knowing that it would be a year before I saw her again.
In September we returned to Lamason.
There were changes. Francoise had left, and must be married to her rich, elderly husband by now. In her place in our dormitory was Janine Fellows.
I did not know whether I was pleased or repelled by this, for I was still not sure whether or not I liked Janine. Francoise had been a good companion; she had been entertaining and her knowledge about the chateau had helped us along in our first days. Her nonchalant acceptance of her fate, her philosophical views of life, her realism and lack of sentiment had intrigued me. I felt I had learned a good deal from Francoise. Gerda, of course, was not the most interesting of roommates. Her preoccupation with food had always bored me a little; she was too phlegmatic and intent on her creature comforts, but she was never malicious and was fundamentally good hearted. Lavinia, of course, was my familiar; and now there was Janine.
Her presence had changed the atmosphere of our dormitory. It had been cosy and rather exciting with Francoise; now I felt there was something malevolent there.
In the first place, she and Lavinia seemed to take an instant dislike to each other, and what made it a little sinister was that Janine rarely showed this. It was only now and then that it came out in certain flashes of temper with Lavinia and sly sarcasm from Janine.
Janine was plain, and that gave her something in common with me. Her reddish hair was fine and straight, hardly ever tidy; her eyes were small, very light blue, and her fine eyebrows made her look perpetually surprised.
She seemed to turn more to me for friendship. Gerda was interested mainly in herself, and her eyes would become glazed and vague when other subjects were raised. She never made trouble; neither did she contribute anything to companionship.
So naturally Janine talked to me more than any of the others, simply because Lavinia, like Gerda, was not interested in anything but her own desires, Gerda for food and Lavinia for admiration.
Lavinia had renewed her admiration for Monsieur Dubois, perhaps because there was no other male available. Janine noticed this and her lips always twitched with amusement every time he was mentioned.
Lavinia was an excellent dancer and Monsieur Dubois still chose her when he wished to demonstrate how a step should be danced. Lavinia revelled in this, twirling round, swaying from side to side, pressing closer than was necessary to Monsieur Dubois, raising her beautiful eyes to his face and then allowing the lids to fall over them, showing her long curling lashes, which alone would have made a beauty of her.
onsieur Dubois is a born flirt,said Janine. t part of his trade. Of course he knows what girls he can flirt with. He wouldn dare with some. You can see him trying it on with the Princess, can you?
The Princess belonged to the ruling house of some obscure middle European country and Madame was especially proud of her title.
should
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