Page:Leah Reed--Brenda's summer at Rockley.djvu/76



the train rolled toward Rockley after their day at Nahant, Nora and Brenda at first were rather quiet. Summer pleasuring is apt to be tiresome; and although they had not exerted themselves physically, their tongues  and minds had been pretty active.

“I hope you did n’t offend Frances,” said Brenda; “she was n’t very talkative when we first started to drive.”

“I did n’t notice it. Why in the world should you think that I offended her?”

“Well, you were just a little sharp when you spoke about driving; and there were one or two other things  like that.”

“I am sure that you must admit, Brenda, that Frances is rather ridiculous when she talks in that toplofty way. When she holds up her head and talks nonsense, she makes me think of that princess—who was it?—who wondered  why the poor people, when they couldn’t get bread, did n’t  eat cake instead. We all know that Frances can have a horse for her own use every minute of the day if she wishes  it. But many people drive very seldom, and the most of them, I dare say, only know horses by sight.”

“Oh, Frances was only thinking of people she knows. Every one in her set drives.”