I 've always loved little girls with mouse-coloured hair and freckles ever since . Well , I must hurry along . I 'm late now , and schools have a dreadful habit of going in sharp on time . If you should happen to be here tomorrow , I 'm going to stop and ask your name . '' Of course Charlotte was at the gap the next day and they had a lovely talk . In a week they were the best of friends . Charlotte soon found out that she could make the Pretty Lady 's eyes look as they ought to for a little while at least , and she spent all her spare time and lay awake at nights devising speeches to make the Pretty Lady laugh . Then another wonderful thing happened . One evening when Charlotte went to the southeast gap , the Tall Lady with the Black Eyes was not in the garden -- at least , Charlotte thought she was n't . But the Very Handsome Cat was , sitting gravely under a syringa bush and looking quite proud of himself for being a cat . `` You Very Handsome Cat , '' said Charlotte , `` wo n't you come here and let me stroke you ? '' The Very Handsome Cat did come , just as if he understood English , and he purred with delight when Charlotte took him in her arms and buried her face in his fur . Then -- Charlotte thought she would really sink into the ground , for the Tall Lady herself came around a lilac bush and stood before the gap . `` Please , ma'am , '' stammered Charlotte in an agony of embarrassment , `` I was n't meaning to do any harm to your Very Handsome Cat . I just wanted to pat him . I -- I am very fond of cats and they are not allowed in orphan asylums . '' `` I 've always thought asylums were n't run on proper principles , '' said the Tall Lady briskly . `` Bless your heart , child , do n't look so scared . You 're welcome to pat the cat all you like . Come in and I 'll give you some flowers . ''
`` Thank you , but I am not allowed to go off the grounds , '' said Charlotte firmly , `` and I think I 'd rather not have any flowers because the matron might want XXXXX know where I got them , and then she would have this gap closed up .
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