The latter declared that the vulgar addition to the school was an outrage on the feelings of those who had been better brought up.
Stephanie had ambitions towards society with a big S, and worshipped titles.

She would have liked the daughter of a duke for a schoolfellow, but so far no member of the aristocracy had condescended to come and be educated at The Woodlands.

Stephanie felt injured that Miss Bowes and Miss Teddington should have accepted such a girl as Rona, and lost no opportunity of showing that she thought the New Zealander very far below the accepted standard.

The Cuckoo's undoubted good looks were perhaps another point in her disfavour.

The school beauty did not easily yield place to a rival, and though she professed to consider Rona's complexion too high-coloured, she had a sneaking consciousness that it was superior to her own.
During the summer holidays Stephanie had taken part in a pageant that was held in aid of a charity near her home.