IV
AN ACCIDENT
For some days, however, the “Faery Queen” rested undisturbed on the table in Brenda’s room, as all at once she found herself plunging into a round of gayety. First of all came an invitation from Edith for a few days at Manchester, and during her stay she was invited to a luncheon party that was decidedly in the order of a grown-up affair, and Edith herself gave a small afternoon tea, and among her guests were some of the older girls who were already out. Then, on her return from Edith’s, Brenda found a note from Nora, accepting her invitation to visit, and saying that she would arrive on Thursday afternoon.
As it was Wednesday when the note arrived, this might have seemed very short notice had it not been understood before the girls left town that Nora was to come to Brenda the last week in June. Moreover, on looking at the note, Brenda saw that it was dated two or three days earlier than the postmark, and she judged correctly that some one had been carrying it about carelessly for a day or two. Julia was still in Cambridge when Nora arrived. “Poor thing!” cried Nora, as Brenda ran upstairs with her to show her her room,—“Poor thing! studying and taking
