"Brooks, Amy - Princess Polly 02 - Princess Polly's Playmates" - читать интересную книгу автора (Brooks Amy)

It surely would seem as if Inez were foolish to think Princess Polly
might prefer her silly little self, to all the others.

Indeed, she would have been far happier to have been willing to be one
of her many playmates. Inez was not at all content, however. She wished
to be PREFERRED.

The game went on merrily, and Inez seemed gayer than usual.

"Tag" followed "Hide-and-Seek," and the music of their merry laughter
echoed through the garden, as they chased each other around the clumps
of shrubbery, across the brook, and through the grove.

It was Vivian, who innocently caused the first sharp word to be spoken.

They were resting in the shade of some flowering shrubs. Princess Polly
had taken off her large hat, and wielding it as a fan, blew the bright
curls back from her pink cheeks.

"If Rose were here, she'd say:

"'Now while we're resting, Princess Polly, tell us a fairy tale,'" said
Vivian.

"That's just what she'd say," said Polly, "and one afternoon we sat
beside the brook, near the fountain, and took turns telling them."

Inez looked at Polly's eyes, and saw the regret that they so plainly
expressed.

She would have been pleased if her little playmates had never mentioned
Rose.

"And once," continued Polly, "we played that we were fairy queens, and
we made flower crowns. It was early morning, and we tried to pick the
flowers with the dew on them, but the dewdrops fell off. Then we
sprinkled them with water from the brook, and they sparkled like
diamonds."

Inez moved uneasily.

"We have fine times together," said Vivian, "but it was still brighter
when Rose was here."

"Anybody'd think we couldn't play without her!" snapped Inez, springing
to her feet, and running across the lawn.

Then realizing that she had been rude, and not wishing to offend Polly,
she turned, and looking over her shoulder, she said: