“Mary Martin, coming out of the class to seek a register, paused on the threshold of the practice room and held an astonishing sight. An extraordinarily beautiful and graceful little girl was dancing exquisitely all by herself in the empty room! Moreover she was dancing with all her heart and soul. Jealous filled Mary’s heart. Which ballet school owned this lovely child? Which school (and she knew them all) could possibly have trained a dancer like this? The child’s ports de bras were big and flowing, her beautifully turned out limbs, her strongly arched feet, the graceful carriage of her head, set on a long and slender neck, her expressive face, her whole style – oh, it was just not possible! Mary couldn’t bear to think that the child hadn’t been trained by her! Or that someone else would take the credit for giving this dancer to the world”
From Rosanna Joins the Wells by Lorna Hill
Daisy May Johnson 
Oh that’s so good. I like it when writers effortlessly drop clues as to what is going to be revealed in a few moments. I haven’t read the book (yet) but I’m willing to bet this dancer wasn’t trained at any school because of this: ‘Which school (and she knew them all) could possibly have trained a dancer like this?’ Lovely passage, I can just picture the child. Thank you so much for sharing, I’ll be starting my first Lorna Hill in a couple of days 🙂
Lorna Hill is beyond lovely. Her first few books are superb – but the ones at the end of her series get a bit pants. I hope you get a good starting one! 🙂