The walk was a dreary one, for Kingsdene, one of the most beautiful
places in England in fine weather, lies so low that in the winter
months fogs are frequent, and the rain is almost incessant, so that
then the atmosphere is always damp and chilly. By the time the two
girls had got into the High Street Prissie's thick, sensible boots
were covered with mud and Rosalind's thin ones felt very damp to her
feet.
They soon reached the quarter where the dressmaker, Miss Forbes,
lived. Prissie was asked to wait downstairs, and Rosalind ran up
several flights of stairs to fulfil her mission. She came back at the
end of a few minutes, looking bright and radiant.
"I am sorry to have kept you waiting, Miss Peel," she said, "but my
boots were so muddy that Miss Forbes insisted on polishing them up for
me."
"Well, we can go home now, I suppose?" said Prissie.
"Ye-- es; only as we are here, would you greatly mind our going round
by Bouverie Street? I want to inquire for a friend of mine, Mrs.
Elliot-Smith. She has not been well."
"Oh, I don't mind," said Priscilla. "Will it take us much out of our
way?"
"No, only a step or two. Come, we have just to turn this corner, and
here we are. What a dear-- quite too good-natured girl you are, Miss
Peel!"
Prissie said nothing.
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