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CHAPTER SIX

ALL THE MORNING’S DIFFICULTIES ARE FORGOTTEN once we are let out The sun, strong and bright, reflects off the fresh white in dazzling sparkles The younger girls squeal in delight as the wet snow spills over the tops of their boots and down inside A group has already begun work on a snowhs She’s got her new fox-fur erly, her rab a handful and am surprised to find it so pliable "Ah, it sticks!" I shout

Felicity regards roo heads "Yes Of course" Now it dawns on her "You’ve never seen snow!"

I want to fall back and bathe in it, such isa mound to my mouth It seems as if it should taste creamy as custard, but instead it isinto the heat oflike a fool

"Here, let ," Felicity says She scoops the snow in both gloved hands, patting and shaping till she’s got a hard ball of it, which she shows to me"Behold: the snowball"

"Ah," I say, not understanding in the least

Without warning, she hurls the packed snow ata spray of wet crystals into

"Isn’t snow ry, I suppose, but I find I a It /’s o on forever

Huffing and puffing, Ann finally reaches us She slips and plops down into a large puff of white with a squeal, which h uncharitably

"You ruraceful fashion "Don’t be such a ninny," Felicity scoffs "It isn’t the end of the world" "I haven’t ten pairs of stockings at the ready, as you do," Ann says It’s meant to sound clever but it comes out dreary and petulant

"I shan’t bother you further, then," Felicity says "Oh, Elizabeth! Cecily!" And with that, sheus to the cold

"But I don’t have a wealth of stockings," Ann says, defending herself

"You sounded very sorry for yourself is all"

"I can’t seeht"