Sara soon became a very important student at the school. Miss Minchin treated Sara like a guest. Sara was never in trouble. This was because Captain Crewe was very rich. Miss Minchin wanted Captain Crewe to be happy.
If Sara was unhappy, she might leave the school. Miss Minchin did not want that. So, she always praised Sara. She said Sara was clever and kind. Sara was smart. She knew why Miss Minchin was nice to her.
Sara talked to Ermengarde about her life. "Everything is an accident," Sara said. "It is an accident that I like books. It is an accident that my father is rich. I am good because everyone is kind to me. I do not know if I am really a nice child."
"Lavinia is not nice," Ermengarde said. "And she is rich too."
Lavinia was very jealous of Sara. Before Sara came, Lavinia was the leader of the school. Now, everyone liked Sara more. Lavinia hated Sara’s beautiful velvet coats.
"Sara is never mean," Jessie said to Lavinia. "She does not act like she is better than us." This made Lavinia more angry. She said Sara was silly. She did not like how Sara pretended things were real.
Sara was very kind to the small children. If a child fell down, Sara helped them. She gave them sweets from her pocket. She never pushed them. She once had a tea party in her room for the youngest students. They used Emily’s small tea cups.
Lottie Legh was a very small girl. She was only four years old. Her mother was dead. Lottie Legh was very spoiled. When she was unhappy, she screamed very loudly. She often cried because she did not have a mother.
One morning, Sara heard a loud noise. Lottie Legh was screaming in a room. Miss Minchin and Miss Amelia were there. They tried to make Lottie Legh be quiet. But Lottie Legh screamed louder. "I do not have a mother!" Lottie Legh yelled.
Miss Minchin was very angry. She wanted to punish Lottie Legh. She walked out of the room and saw Sara.
"Can I try to help?" Sara asked.
"You are a clever child," Miss Minchin said. "Go in and try."
Sara went into the room. Lottie Legh was on the floor. She was kicking her fat legs. Miss Amelia was very tired and red in the face. Sara politely asked Miss Amelia to leave. Then, Sara sat on the floor. She did not say anything.
Lottie Legh stopped screaming to look at Sara. "I do not have a mother!" Lottie Legh said again.
"I do not have a mother either," Sara said.
Lottie Legh was surprised. She stopped kicking. She looked at Sara. "Where is she?" Lottie Legh asked.
"She went to heaven," Sara said. Sara told Lottie Legh a story. She said heaven was a beautiful place. There were many fields of flowers. She said the streets were bright and golden.
"Our mothers can see us from heaven," Sara said. Lottie Legh listened to every word. She liked the story very much. She moved closer to Sara.
"I want to go there," Lottie Legh said. "I have no mother at this school."
"I will be your mother," Sara said. "We can play a game. You are my little girl. Emily is your sister."
Lottie Legh smiled. She was very happy now. She went with Sara to wash her face and brush her hair. From that day, Sara was Lottie Legh’s "mother."