Adela, of course, cannot be expected to know.' 'I must tell her,' was the reply.
Adela was sitting rather dreamily in her bedroom a couple of hours later when her mother entered.
'Little girls shouldn't tell stories,' Mrs.Waltham began, with playfulness which was not quite natural.

'Who was it that wanted to go and speak a word to Letty this afternoon ?' 'It wasn't altogether a story, mother,' pleaded the girl, shamed, but with an endeavour to speak independently.

'I did want to speak to Letty.' 'And you put it off, I suppose?
Really, Adela, you must remember that a girl of your age has to be mindful of her self-respect.

In Wanley you can't escape notice; besides--' 'Let me explain, mother.' Adela's voice was made firm by the suggestion that she had behaved unbecomingly.

'I went to Letty first of all to tell her of a difficulty I was in.