4 unbiased questions of fast and furious ???

Which sentence in this excerpt from frances hodgson burnett’s a little princess shows indirect characterization? it was just then that miss minchin entered the room. she was very like her house, sara felt: tall and dull, and respectable and ugly. she had large, cold, fishy eyes, and a large, cold, fishy smile. it spread itself into a very large smile when she saw sara and captain crewe. she had heard a great many desirable things of the young soldier from the lady who had recommended her school to him. among other things, she had heard that he was a rich father who was willing to spend a great deal of money on his little daughter. "it will be a great privilege to have charge of such a beautiful and promising child, captain crewe," she said, taking sara's hand and stroking it. "lady meredith has told me of her unusual cleverness. a clever child is a great treasure in an establishment like mine."

When mrs. jameson says "it (the desert) won't leave you cold," what does she mean?

What can you infer about esperanza's character from the fact that she argues three days with her mother trying to persuade her to write the note?