Where 's your sparkle gone now , Fran ? '' `` It 's too bad of Grandmother Newbury , '' declared Frances angrily . `` Oh , Fran , she did n't know about the picnic , '' said Cecilia -- but still without turning round . `` Well , she need n't always be so annoyed if we do n't go when we are invited . Another day would do just as well , '' said Frances shortly . Something in her voice sounded choked too . She rose and walked to the other end of the verandah , where she stood and scowled down the road ; Ralph and Elliott , feeling uncomfortable , went away . The verandah was very still for a little while . The sun had quite set , and it was growing dark when Frances came back to the steps . `` Well , what are you going to do about it ? '' she said shortly . `` Which of us is to go to the Bay Shore ? '' `` I suppose I had better go , '' said Cecilia slowly -- very slowly indeed . Frances kicked her slippered toe against the fern jardinière . `` You may see Nan Harris somewhere else before she goes back , '' she said consolingly . `` Yes , I may , '' said Cecilia . She knew quite well that she would not . Nan would return to Campden on the special train , and she was going back west in three days . It was hard to give the picnic up , but Cecilia was used to giving things up . Nobody ever expected Frances to give things up ; she was so brilliant and popular that the good things of life came her way naturally .
It never seemed to matter so much XXXXX quiet Cecilia .
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