Chapter 2 Boarding school
When Sara came down the next morning, everyone stared at her. All the girls had heard that the new pupil was as rich as a princess
"She's even got a French maid whispered Jessie, one of the older pupils."And I saw her trunk. It's full of fur coats." "Well," Jessie's friend Lavinia added spitefully, "I heard Miss Minchin say her clothes were ridiculously grand for a child." Until Sara arrived, Lavinia had been Miss Minchin's best-dressed pupil Now Sara would take her place. The other girls soon adored Sara. She held tea parties in her sitting-room for the younger children, and let them play with her doll, Emily.
In the evenings she made up stories of kings and queens and beautiful princesses. The others sat before her and listened, entranced. Sara had been at Miss Minchin's school for two years when, one foggy afternoon, she came back to her room to find someone asleep in her chair, Looking down, Sara saw it was Becky, the scullery maid "Poor thing. She must be exhausted," thought Sara. At that moment, Becky opened her eyes with a frightened gasp.
"oh miss! Oh miss!” she stuttered. “I beg yer pardon. It was the warm fire, and me being so tired..." “Don't worry," said Sara laughing. "You couldn't help it." Becky stared at Sara. She was used to being ordered about and scolded. She couldn't believe this girl was being kind to her. “Ain't yer angry, miss?" gasped Becky.
"No," cried Sara, "of course not. We're just the same, you know. I'm only a girl like you. It's just chance that I'm not you and you're not me."
"Would you like to stay a minute?" Sara added. "You could have some cakes." Becky devoured the cakes in hungry bites, all the time gazing at Sara in wonder. "I think you're like a princess, miss," said Becky.
"I'd love to be a princess!" said Sara. "Perhaps I'll begin pretending I am one. I could think of ways to help people, like real princesses. Will you come and see me again, Becky?" "Oh yes please," said Becky, and hurried out of the room before Miss Minchin found her.