"There are a great many girls in your school, aren't there? And you
might be any of them."
"I'm not any of them," she said. "I'm me."
"How did you get here?" he asked, still holding back Ariel who was
trying to leap at Flip. "How did you find me?"
Flip retreated a little because it did not seem to her that he really
was glad that she had come. "I didn't find you," she said. "Ariel found
me. I went for a walk yesterday afternoon and he found me and made me
come to the chateau."
"And you came back today," Paul said.
There was neither welcome nor rebuff in his voice but Flip felt that
she had been rejected and she said haughtily, "I'm sorry I'm not
welcome. I'll leave at once."
"No, please!" Paul cried. "I said I was glad it was you. I was afraid
it was someone I didn't know. I came here to be alone and I didn't want
just anybody coming around."
Flip said swiftly, "If you wanted to be alone I won't stay, then. I
know how it is to need to be alone. I need to be alone, too."
Paul reached out for her hand again. "No, don't go, it's good to see
you. I know I sounded inhospitable, but come and sit down." Still
holding her firmly by the hand he led her across the terrace to a
marble bench half hidden by weeds. "Now," he said, sitting down beside
her. "Do you like your school?"