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Page 78
Chapter Six
Linda had a good opportunity at dinner to find out all about the work Rose-Anne and Donald did. It was apparent that Mrs. Bates had given Gertrude special instructions about the seating, which grouped the young people at one end of the table and Mrs. Bates with General Barthemeles and Mrs. Sotheby at the other.
The basic idea was excellent and showed that Mrs. Bates's first aim was that her guests should enjoy themselves. The young people should have amused each other while the older group enjoyed their chatter or talked among themselves. Something, however, was wrong. Instead of the almost good-natured bickering in which Rose-Anne, Peter, and Donald had been indulging, there was a rather stiff silence.

 
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