On a dark winter's day, a little girl sat in a cab with her father.
She stared out the window as the cab drove through foggy London.
Sara Crewe was only seven, but she seemed much older.
She was always dreaming and thinking.
At that moment she was thinking about her long trip from India.
She had just arrived in London with her father.
It felt strange to travel from a hot, sunny place and arrive in a cold, dark one.
Soon the cab stopped in front of a big brick house.
A brass sign on the front door said: "Miss Minchin's Boarding School for Young Ladies."
"Papa, is this the place?" Sara whispered.
"Yes," he replied. "We have reached it at last."
Sara's mother had died when Sara was born.
Sara's father was an officer in the British army.
He was very rich and handsome and gave Sara whatever she wanted.
Sara had lots of toys and clothes. Servants took care of all her needs.
In India she'd had only one worry.
Her father believed that the climate in India wasn't healthy.
So one day he would send her to school in England.
And now that day had come.
Captain Crewe knocked on the door of the school.
A servant answered and led them inside.
Sara looked around at the ugly sitting room with its heavy wooden furniture.
"I don't like it here, Papa," she said.
"But soldiers probably don't like going into battle either."
Captain Crewe laughed. "Oh, Sara, you say such wonderful things.
What will I do without you?" He swept her into his arms for a hug.
A moment later the headmistress, Miss Minchin, entered the room.
The headmistress had large fishy eyes and a large fishy smile.
Sara thought the woman looked just like her school: tall, dull, ugly.
Miss Minchin knew that Captain Crewe was rich.
She tried to please him by praising Sara.
"What a beautiful child!" the headmistress exclaimed.
"But I'm not beautiful!" Sara thought. "Miss Minchin is making that up."
Sara stood quietly near her father while he and the headmistress talked.
Because Sara's father was very rich, Sara would have many nice things at school.
There would be a pretty bedroom and sitting room, and a pony and carriage.
A maid would help her.
"Sara reads too much," Captain Crewe told the headmistress.
"Make sure she goes outside.
She should ride her pony or buy some new dolls."
"Oh, Papa!" said Sara. "I don't need a lot of new dolls. I only need Emily."
"Who's Emily?" asked Miss Minchin.
"Tell her, Sara," Captain Crewe said, smiling.
"She's a special doll that Papa is going to buy for me," said Sara.
"She'll be my friend when Papa is in India. I'll talk to her about him."
Miss Minchin's large fishy smile grew wider.
"What an unusual child!" she exclaimed loudly.
"She's such a darling girl!"
"Yes," said Captain Crewe. He pulled Sara close.
"She is truly a darling girl.
Please take very good care of her for me, Miss Minchin."
"Oh, I will," the headmistress promised.
Sara stayed with her father at his hotel for several days.
He bought her all kinds of expensive clothes—velvet dresses, fur coats, silk stockings.
They searched many toy shops looking for Emily but couldn't find her.
"She has to be a doll who can listen to me, Papa," explained Sara.
"Most dolls don't really seem to hear."
So they looked at big dolls and little ones, at dolls with black eyes and dolls with blue ones.
They looked at dolls with brown curls and golden braids, dolls in all kinds of clothing.
But none of them was quite right.
Then one day Sara spotted a doll with golden-brown hair and an intelligent expression.
"Look, Papa! There's Emily!" she cried.
They went into the shop and bought the doll.
Then they went to a dressmaker to order a grand wardrobe for Emily.
Finally the day came when Captain Crewe had to leave.
He and Sara were very sad.
From her window Sara watched him get into a cab. Emily was by her side.
Miss Minchin sent her sister, Miss Amelia, to check on Sara.
"Why is this door locked?" asked Miss Amelia.
"I want to be alone, please," said Sara softly.
Miss Amelia went downstairs and told Miss Minchin about how Sara was acting.
"I've never seen such an odd child," said Miss Amelia.
"She has locked herself in her room, but she's not making any noise at all."
"She's very spoiled," snapped Miss Minchin.
"I'm surprised she isn't kicking and screaming.
All those new clothes are absolutely ridiculous.
Her father treats her like a little princess!"