As the carriage rattled away from the station, Polly gave a delighted little bounce on the seat.
"Oh, I love riding in these nice carriages and seeing all the fine sights! Don't you?" she asked.
"Not much," said Tom, staring out the window.
"How's Fanny? Why didn't she come?" Polly asked cheerfully.
"Afraid of spoiling her curls," Tom said with a grin.
"You and I don't mind a bit of dampness," said Polly kindly. "Thanks for coming to meet me."
Tom felt oddly pleased. No one had ever thanked him for anything so simple. He offered her some peanuts from his pocket — then instantly regretted it, remembering Fanny thought peanuts were "vulgar."
To hide his embarrassment, he stuck his head out the window.
Polly, thinking something was wrong, asked, "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine," said Tom, pretending to inspect the horses. "Just making sure the driver's not drunk."
"What?" Polly gasped. "Is he really?"
Tom grinned. "He's fine — but maybe I'd better sit up front with him, just in case."
"Oh please do! My mother would be worried if anything happened so far from home," Polly said earnestly.
So Tom climbed out to "watch the driver," leaving poor Polly clutching her hat inside, while he calmly munched more peanuts outside.
When they arrived, Fanny came rushing down the stairs. "Polly! My darling Polly!" she cried, kissing her friend and whisking her upstairs.
"I've got her!" said Tom triumphantly, before sneaking off to the dining room for a victory snack of cookies.