character.

"It's _too_ bad that just when I'm old enough all the jolly things are
closed to women!" she groused. "If Mother had only let me leave school a
year ago, I'd at least have had three months' fun. Life's going to be
very slow now. There's nothing sporty to do at all!"

Ingred, the youngest but one, and fifteen on her last birthday, was the
only dark member of the fair Saxon family. At present she was not nearly
so good-looking as pretty Quenrede; her mouth was a trifle heavy and her
cheeks lacked color; but her eyes had depths that were not seen in her
sister's, and her thick brown hair fell far below her waist. She would
gladly have exchanged it for the lint-white locks of Hereward.

"Queenie was always chosen for a fairy at school plays," she grumbled,
"and they never would have me, though her dresses would have come in for
me so beautifully. I don't see why some fairies shouldn't have dark
hair! And it was just as bad when we acted _The Merchant of Venice_.
Miss Carter gave 'Portia' to Francie Hall, and made me take 'Jessica,'
and Francie was a perfect stick, and spoilt the whole thing! Next time,
I declare I'll bargain to wear a golden wig, and see what happens."

Ingred had been educated at Grovebury College since the morning when, a
fat little person of five, she had taken her place in the Kindergarten.
She and Quenrede had always been favorites in the school. In pre-war
days they had been allowed to give delightful parties at Rotherwood to
their form-mates, and though that had not been possible during the last
five years, everybody knew that their beautiful home had been lent to
the Red Cross, and admired their patriotism in thus giving it for the
service of the nation. From Avis's remarks that afternoon it was evident