"Where are you going to with that flower?" and she pointed to the Camellia Fanny held so gently between her small fingers.
"For Miss Neville is it? I suspected as much. Give it to me; let me look at it."
"No, it will fall to pieces. He said so; and that I was to be very careful of it; so you musn't have it."
"Who gave it you? Speak, child; I will know."
But little Fanny inherited the Linchmore's spirit, and was nothing daunted at the other's stern, overbearing manner. In fact her little heart rose to fever heat; so tossing back her long, thick hair with one hand, while with the other she put the flower behind her, and looking her tall cousin steadily in the face, she replied defiantly--
"How dare you say that, how dare you speak to me in that rude way; I will know who gave it to you. Tell me directly."
Frances raised her hand to strike, but Fanny quailed not; she still held the flower behind her back, away from the other, and made her small figure as tall as she could, planting her little foot firmly so as to resist the blow to her utmost when it did come.
But it came not. The hand fell, but not on Fanny.
With a strong effort Frances controlled herself, and determined on trying persuasion; for she would find out where she got the flower.
Now Frances had been dressing in her room, and had accidentally seen from her window Charles talking to the children; so when she, unfortunately for Fanny, met her in the passage, and saw the Camellia, she naturally enough concluded he had sent it. If not he, who had? but she was certain it was Charles; her new-born jealousy told her so.
Still the child must confess and satisfy her, must confirm her suspicions, and then--but though Frances shut her teeth firmly, as some sudden thought flashed through her, yet she could not quite tell what her vengeance was to be, or what measures she would take; she only felt, only knew she must annihilate and crush her rival, and remove her out of her path.
"I do not want the flower, Fanny," commenced she in a low voice, meant to propitiate and coax.
"You would not have it, if you did!" replied Fanny, not a bit conciliated or deceived at the change of tone and voice.
Frances could scarcely control her anger.