Her affection for Irene had been an immense factor in her school life this term, but she was still very different from other girls, and kept her old barrier of shy reserve.

Irene, noticing Lorna's wistful look towards the post-bag, often tried to share her correspondence with her buddy; she would show her all her picture post-cards, briefly explaining who the writers were and to what their allusions referred.

At first Lorna had only been languidly polite over them, but later she grew interested.

Second-hand articles may not be as good as your own, but they are better than nothing at all, and the various items of news made topics for conversations and gave her a glimpse of other people's homes.
Irene, finishing her budget one morning, sorted out any which she might hand on to her chum.
"Not home letters--yours are sacred, Mummie darling!--and she wouldn't care to hear about Aunt Doreen's attack of rheumatism.

There are two post-cards she may like, and this lovely long stave from Dona.