As a matter of fact, most of the girls giggled as she went out through
the cloak-room door.

"My lady's in a temper!" exclaimed Francie.

"Lemons and vinegar!" hinnied Jess.

"Why did she fly out like that?" asked Beatrice.

"Well, really, Beatrice Jackson, after all the stupid things you said,
anybody would fly out, I should think," commented Verity Richmond. "I'm
sorry for Ingred. I'd heard the Saxons can't go back to their old house.
It's hard luck on them after lending it all these years to the Red
Cross."

"But _why_ aren't they going back?"

"Why, silly, because they can't keep it up, I suppose. If you've any
sense, you won't mention Rotherwood to Ingred again. It's evidently a
sore point. Don't for goodness sake, go rubbing it into her."

"I wasn't going to!" grumbled Beatrice. "Surely I can make an innocent
remark without you beginning to preach to me like this! I call it
cheek!"

Verity did not reply. She had had too many squabbles with Beatrice in
the past to want to begin a fresh campaign on the first day of a new
term. She discreetly pretended not to hear, and addressing Francie Hall,
launched into an account of her doings during the holidays.